Drawer Boy
60
Play • Fiction
Rural Canada • 1970s
2008
Adult
18+ years
Drawer Boy by Michael Healey is a play focused on the lives of two aging farmers whose world is disrupted when a young actor arrives to research rural life. Through the actor's visit, hidden memories and long-kept secrets are unveiled, leading to profound revelations and changes in the dynamics of friendship and memory among the characters.
Contemplative
Emotional
Bittersweet
Heartwarming
Nostalgic
173 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Drawer Boy by Michael Healey is praised for its moving portrayal of friendship and memory, with sharp dialogue and effective humor. Critics highlight its deep exploration of storytelling and truth. Some note a predictable plot and underdeveloped secondary characters as drawbacks. Overall, the play is a compelling piece that balances wit and emotional depth.
A reader who appreciates Drawer Boy by Michael Healey would likely enjoy character-driven narratives and themes of friendship, memory, and healing. Fans of plays like Leviathan by Julian Barnes or The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin would find similar depth and emotional resonance in Healey’s work.
173 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
The Drawer Boy debuted in 1999 at the Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto, marking the 30th anniversary of the same theater company that played a pivotal role in inspiring the play's subject, the creation of The Farm Show.
The play won the 1999 Governor General's Literary Award for Drama, a prestigious Canadian recognition, underscoring its impact on contemporary theater.
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The Drawer Boy was inspired by real-life events from the 1970s when actors from Theatre Passe Muraille lived and worked on farms in rural Ontario to create The Farm Show, an experimental piece that highlighted quotidian farm life.
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60
Play • Fiction
Rural Canada • 1970s
2008
Adult
18+ years
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