“We won’t start until somebody says ‘Start the f##cking play.’”

From the get-go, Stupid F##cking Bird lets the audience know that it isn’t a play like they’ve ever seen before.

Performed in the Dudley Experimental Theater, the play is certainly experimental. Audience interaction is worked into parts of the show, and the characters make constant reference to the audience, as if both are equally real.

And they do feel real. All seven actors give phenomenal performances, captivating the audience for the entire two-hour run time.

SFB is the enemy of the stilted, dull stage play. Dynamic and thoroughly entertaining, it's the closest thing a live performance can be to a 3D movie, no glasses required.

The UMD Theatre Department demonstrates its quality once again. Each actor can switch between being the scene’s comic relief and delivering impassioned monologues on a dime, a challenge the performers take in stride.

As is evident by the title, SFB has no qualms with profanity, but it is profanity with purpose. “F#ck” may punctuate a joke or emphasize a dramatic moment, but it always adds to the character of the play. The pearl-clutchers among us may take issue with the foul language being used and may call it tasteless, but the swearing feels natural and enhances the piece.

The only “tasteless” thing about the play is the use of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer cans. The creative team must not know that it's a Busch world.

Tickets for Stupid F##king Bird are available on the UMD Theatre’s website. Student rush tickets may also be available for free at the door depending on availability.

Stupid F###ing Review