Thousands of men donate sperm each year for use in IVF treatments for infertile couples.  At some of the clinics the future father can leave a video message for their future child to read on their eighteenth birthday.  The Sperm Monologues features a series of imagined messages that donors might leave their prospective child. 

Three young actors create a myriad of characters that have just emitted the needed seed and face fatherhood in the form of a video camera – asking them to question their reasons for donating: why they wish to become a father.  In turn these characters question fatherhood, relating stories of their own childhoods or pressures / needs to procreate. 

It’s a great premise for a show and the guys portray their characters well, but after a while you feel that these characters (although well acted) could have come from a wider spectrum of backgrounds or whether the team could have found more imaginative ways of entertaining their future kids – each character seems very similar, and there is no break in the format of the piece – just a line of men lining up to say very similar things.  I would have preferred to see this show in a smaller, more intimate venue rather than the bare 320 seat Udderbelly on Bristo Square where, with no set, minimal costumes and very small projections the show seemed lost in the space.  I couldn’t help but feel the piece would also make a great short film.  I hope these guys continue to develop this piece, because it is a great show in the making. 

E4 Udderbelly, Venue 300, Bristo Square (0870 745 3083)
3 – 12 August at 9.40pm

Tickets
Aug 7-10 £9/£8
Aug 11-12 £10/£9