The
year is 1970. Morgan and Angus, two men in their fifties, run a small
arm in Ontario not far from Toronto. Miles, a young man from an
actors cooperative arrives at the farm. Miles belongs to an
idealistic group of Toronto theatre people who are jointly developing
and putting on shows for the local farming communities. He wants to
work and observe life at a farm as research for his theatre group's
show.
Morgan
somewhat reluctantly allows him to stay. He begins to enjoy having
Miles around and making fun of the serious young man. Miles finds out
that Angus has headaches and severe difficulties due to loss of his
long term and short term memory; Angus is very good at arithmetic and
remembering numbers, though.
As
Miles becomes interested in the biography of the Angus and Morgan and
the story of their friendship, he awakens demons of the past with
serious consequences.
Michael
Healey's The Drawer Boy is an intelligent and witty drama about the
tensions between city and country people, between down to earth
farmers and idealistic artists. The play also explores the nature of
friendship, the importance of the stories we tell about ourselves to
maintaining our identity and sanity – and the place of truth in all
that. Healey skilfully captures the ubiquitous earthy Canadian sense
of humour and understatement in his dialogues. The willingness of
different parts of Canadian society to engage with each other and
stay engaged through conflicts and difficulties is remarkable. Though
one wonders whether it is still present in today's more consumerist
and less idealistic era.
The
Farm Shows of the 1970s, when idealistic theatre people went into the
Ontario farming communities to learn about them and develop plays for
and about them, are a genuine part of the history of the Canadian
theatre. Healey captures that history in this play which was first
written and performed in Toronto in 1999. The Finborough, one of the
best London Fringe theatres, gives this play its well deserved and
long overdue London première.
Making
effective use of sound and lighting director Eleanor Rhode ensures
that the story holds the audience's attention from beginning to end.
A strong Canadian acting ensemble help her to bring the story to
life, with outstanding performances by John Bett (Angus) and Neil
McCaul (Morgan).
A
great outing to the theatre; even a matinee on a hot Summer day is a
pleasant experience here: the Finborough Theatre is air conditioned
and the Finborough Café a friendly place serving good wines and a
mean cup of coffee just when you need it.
http://www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/2012/the-drawer-boy.php
http://www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/2012/the-drawer-boy.php
Written by Michael Healey
Directed by Eleanor Rhode
Designed by Molly Einchcomb
Lighting by Howard Hudson
Sound and Original Composition by George Dennis
Presented by Snapdragon and Nicola Seed in association with The Finborough Theatre
Directed by Eleanor Rhode
Designed by Molly Einchcomb
Lighting by Howard Hudson
Sound and Original Composition by George Dennis
Presented by Snapdragon and Nicola Seed in association with The Finborough Theatre
JOHN BETT
NEIL MCCAUL
SIMON LEE PHILLIPS
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