The Drawer Boy

Miles, a young actor from a Toronto theatre group, travels to the rural Ontario home of Morgan and Angus to observe farm life. He plans to use their experiences as the source material for a new play. This visit marks the beginning of a collaborative process where their lives may be reshaped for the stage.

Miles demonstrates how a collective creation can be formed from real memories and stories. He begins guiding the farmers through telling their lives, promising to 'get your history and give it back to you.' The farm becomes a shared workshop as storytelling supersedes simple observation.

Morgan, tough-minded and stubborn, tends to Angus, who relies on him after brain damage and memory loss from World War II. The two men have developed a precarious but functional life together, with Morgan providing steadiness and Angus anchoring the memory of their past. Their relationship is central to the story's emotional core.

Angus is introduced as someone who once designed buildings and possesses the talents of an architect. The nickname 'drawer boy' hints at a lost future that the group tries to recover through storytelling. This memory becomes a touchstone for the unfolding drama about history and identity.

To calm Angus, Morgan recounts a shared history that includes two tall women who came to live with them in Canada. The tale functions as a cornerstone of their imagined past and raises questions about the veracity of what is being told. The moment blurs the line between lived memory and storytelling performance.

As the play inside the story unfolds, Miles discovers that the life they're presenting as history is really a fiction. He recognizes that this crafted version may be more dramatic and meaningful than the truth, yet it also risks erasing the real experiences of Morgan and Angus. The revelation unsettles their trust and the future of their collaboration.

Miles learns that the real history behind their lives is far sadder than the constructed tale. The fictional narrative, though powerful in its emotional resonance, masks pain and loss that could undermine the friendship between the two men. The story's honesty demands a reckoning.

In the process of telling their story as a play, Miles inadvertently reawakens Angus's memory. The act of shared storytelling acts as a catalyst for memory to surface, suggesting that art can unlock suppressed histories. The boundary between performance and memory becomes increasingly porous.

Miles positions himself as the drawer boy, shaping an alternate reality from their experiences. Through his staging, he not only documents their history but also transforms it into living art. The line between lifeworld and theatre becomes indistinct.

The play as produced on stage debuts in Toronto at Theatre Passe Muraille in 1999. It is presented as a new Canadian drama that blends personal history with theatrical experimentation. The premiere marks the transition of their story from farm to stage.

The production transfers to higher-profile venues, with Ed Mirvish Productions mounting a run at the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto and a staging at Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg in 2001. The show gains wider audiences and recognition, reinforcing its status as a landmark Canadian work. These productions broaden the reach of the story beyond its rural origins.

The Drawer Boy reaches an international stage with a London premiere at Finborough Theatre on 19 June 2012. The production introduces the Canadian story to UK audiences and confirms the play's enduring relevance. The London run is a key milestone in the show's touring life.