Gender norms are continually questioned and refitted by every generation. Needless to say, you can expect a huge disparity between the perspectives of many Gen Zs and their parents – largely members of Gen X. Men Express Their Feelings is a one-act play that examines pre-conceived expectations of male behaviour and emotional expression – or lack thereof. At the heart of this clever and insightful play is the generational divide between Gen Z and their Gen X parents, especially when it comes to sexuality and gender norms.

There’s no accident in where playwright Sunny Drake has decided to set this play in – boy hockey world. Specifically, the locker room - a place where teenage male hormones and bro culture reign supreme. This setting couldn’t scream repressed emotions, toxic masculinity, and sexual frustration any louder. I’m not trying to throw shade at hockey, but it’s true.

From left to right: Munish Sharma, Ishan Sandhu, Quinn Churchill, and Jeff Gladstone. Photo credit: Tina Krueger Kulic

The situation is an interesting one. There’s been a scuffle between the dads of two 17-year-old hockey players. Mr. Bacon (Jeff Gladstone) has punched Mr. Sharma (Munish Sharma) in the parking lot. Meanwhile their sons Brad (Quinn Churchill) and Raj (Ishan Sandhu), have been in the locker room dealing with their own drama. The four characters are ordered by the hockey league’s chair, Ms. Skinner, to hunker down in the locker room and work out their issues. Specifically, they’re instructed to get in touch with their feelings.

What follows is a two-fold look at the relationship between Raj and Brad, and an introspective look into what has shaped the dads’ perspectives on acceptable male behaviour and emotional expression, especially Mr. Bacon’s thoughts. The concept of this show is creative and cute. It’s structured like a hockey game, with three periods. Raj and Brad regularly take on the roles of commentators, which is very clever because it allows them to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience.

Ishan Sandhu and Quinn Churchill. Photo credit: Tina Krueger Kulic

What drives the show is the mystery as to why Mr. Bacon punched Mr. Sharma, and through a series of replays (again, very hockey-themed), we witness flashbacks from the perspectives of all four characters. Through these replays, we piece the story together – and like any good story, just when you think you’ve figured everything out, you find out there’s even more to the story.

Raj and Brad are entangled in a world of teenage sexual frustration, cultural gender rules, parental expectations, and plain adolescent self-identify struggles. And while this might sound like a story that’s been told countless times before, this story is definitely Gen X-branded and exudes wit and authenticity. Sandhu and Churchill are excellent as Raj and Brad. Sandhu is great at combining sensitivity with quiet confidence, and Churchill is great at demonstrating his character’s struggle with connecting with sensitivity, despite his loud confidence.

And while complex and complicated, Sandhu and Churchill’s relationship is enduring. One of my favourite moments was seeing Sandhu wheel Churchill around in a laundry hamper, as Sandhu collects discarded towels in the locker room.

From left to right: Munish Sharma, Ishan Sandhu, Jeff Gladstone, and Quinn Churchill. Photo credit: Tina Krueger Kulic

While the boys try to work out their relationship, their dads also have their work cut out for them. They have the arduous task of peeling back decades of baggage caused from their upbringing, family lives, and personal situations, in order to see things in a different way. Like their younger co-stars Sharma and Gladstone also deliver strong performances. Similar to Sandhu’s portrayal as Raj, Sharma’s performance evokes sensitivity, but in a wise, fatherly way. Gladstone’s performance as extremely emotionally-disconnected Mr. Bacon produces moments that range from frightening, to uncomfortable, to genuinely moving.

Thankfully there’s a lot of humour in this play to help offset some heavy subject matters which range from sexual identity, career loss, broken dreams, and emasculation. And there’s a lot of physical movement in this show, including some choreographed dance sequences skillfully staged by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, and wonderfully delivered by the cast.

Kimira Reddy’s set is first-rate, transforming the Firehall Arts Centre’s stage into a locker room complete with a shower, and lots of attention to detail, from water bottles to hockey players’ personal belongings strewn about. I would be remiss if I didn’t also commend Sara Vickruck for her outstanding sound design. Highlights include infusing hockey-themed sound effects throughout the show; and altering the audio when Raj and Brad speak as commentators.

The presentation is under the fine direction of Cameron Mackenzie, who pieces together a lot of moving parts. The play runs a bit too long for my liking, given it’s a one-act. While there are a lot of interesting and valid topics discussed, I felt overwhelmed by a certain point, without having had a break to regroup. Also, while there’s a fun, amusing dance number to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” early in the show, when the same concept is repeated later on, it feels redundant, the humour forced.

To call this story unique would be an error, because I’m sure this is a story that is alive everywhere in our society, especially at the hockey rink. So, it’s about time someone brought this story to the stage and I commend Drake for writing a smart play that not only showcases the long-time challenges men have had with emotional intelligence, but also recognizes different viewpoints and challenges between Gen Z and their Gen X parents. Men Express Their Feelings is about learning to let go of whatever is holding you down, so you can find the freedom to express your feelings, regardless of your gender.

Zee Zee Theatre’s production of Men Express Their Feelings continues at the Firehall Arts Centre until April 3. Visit Zee Zee Theatre’s website for more information.