Synopsis

South-East London, 1990s

Joe Casey is a young, gay teacher from Liverpool working in a modern south-east London comprehensive school. The story primarily focuses on his interactions with his students, particularly Tammy, and her dysfunctional family. Joe attends Tammy’s birthday party, where he becomes embroiled in the family’s complex dynamics, including Tammy’s mother Viv’s romantic interest in him and her confrontational relationship with her neighbour, Valerie Pinkney. Throughout the play, themes of sexuality, prejudice, and the challenges of growing up in a working-class environment are explored.

Harvey employs a mix of humour and gritty realism to depict the lives of the characters, using their distinctive south-east London accents and colloquialisms to create an authentic atmosphere. The play is structured into short, fast-paced scenes that alternate between various settings, such as the school, Viv’s house, and Joe’s flat, which he shares with his partner Woody. This structure effectively highlights the contrasts between the characters’ public and private lives, as well as the tensions that arise when these worlds collide. “Babies” offers a poignant and, at times, amusing commentary on the complexities of human relationships and the societal pressures that shape them.