WBUR/The ARTery: Naomi Wallace’s Adaptation Of ‘Birdy’ Takes Graceful Flight

The success of the play and the production rests largely in Wallace and Maler’s ability to artfully suggest the issues of the play. The audience has to accept the unlikely duo bonding in the first place. Jocks generally put as much distance as they can between themselves and boys who are more interested in birds than beer  in high school. So why is Al, with testosterone on parade, so drawn to Birdy, who would love to find a way of mating with a bird or flying through the air than of finding a date to take to the prom?