Hummingbird
“THINK ABOUT IT, NATURAL, STRAIGHT FROM THE TEET BANANA MILK. ALL NATURAL FLAVOURED MILKSHAKE, FROM UDDER TO GLASS.”
Hummingbird by chris neels
“Christopher Neels writes a powerful story of grief while also including a biting sense of humour that lets the audience laugh instead of simply simmering in their sadness.” **** Broadway World.
Time moves differently in the country. Having left their city life behind, Brian and Jude are adapting to their new life on the family farm. Life is slow but steady, until Jude’s long lost half-sister, Phoeb, arrives out of the blue following the disappearance of her husband Gavin. Things begin to change around the farm the night Phoeb announces Gavin has returned. It’s just that Gavin isn’t exactly himself… Gavin is a hummingbird.
As Phoeb endeavours to build wings to ‘fly' with her husband, the two reluctant farmers are forced to question their own realities and finally confront the grief they both have avoided for so long.
Described as Edward Albee’s ‘The Goat’ meets Michel Gondry’s ‘Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind’, Chris Neels’ Hummingbird is a surreal and relatable exploration of grief, aspiration and dairy farming.
Hummingbird premiered at The Vault Festival 2023 as a co-production with Fledgling Theatre. Written and directed by Chris Neels, starring Amit Shah, Nancy Zamit and Louise Beresford.