by AMY BARRATT

The Drawer Boy, by Michael Healey, is a wonderful play that references the tradition of Canadian plays about farming, while gently mocking that tradition. The Montreal English-language premiere that recently opened at Centaur is, quite simply, a must-see - and that despite the fact that it's being produced in the dreaded Centaur Two.

In the past, I've opined that nothing seems to work in that space; its traditional proscenium stage turns normally competent actors hammy and histrionic. Well The Drawer Boy is proof that that needn't be the case. A good deal of credit is due to director Richard Donat for keeping his actors on track, taking advantage of the play's comedic possibilities without ever going overboard.

In Healey's award-winning play, Miles (James Dallas Smith), a young actor from Toronto, shows up on the doorstep of a farm in rural Ontario asking to help out for a few days and "observe." He's part of a collective working on a play about farming. Well of course he is, it's 1972.

The farm he's chosen belongs to Morgan (Michael Hogan) and Angus (Michel Perron), a pair of lifelong friends who settled there after returning from the Second World War. As a result of an injury, Angus has a steel plate in his head and suffers from this age's most popular mental complaint: lack of short-term memory. In a running gag that predates the movie 50 First Dates by five years, Miles has to quickly re-introduce himself every time he runs into Angus or risk getting clobbered.

The play, which looks at first as if it might be just cute and entertaining, soon begins to hint at dark secrets. Donat moves the action relentlessly toward a devastating revelation and an ending that is genuinely moving. Perron, who was memorable some years ago in Waiting for Godot, but went over-the-top in mega-hit Mambo Italiano, gives what may be the performance of his career in The Drawer Boy. Hogan, in his first Centaur appearance, is riveting. Dallas Smith elevates his character way beyond comic relief. On the technical side the production is adequate, but I could have wished for a less chintzy starlit sky effect and canned sound that didn't sound so canned.

For the first time in years, Centaur has a contender for best production of the year.

Queer quickies and contests

Attention aspiring Oscar Wildes: If Davyn Ryall has his way, Montreal will be home to an international festival of queer theatre starting in 2005. The event will in fact be launched in November of this year on a smaller scale showcasing only Quebec productions. VSP is currently accepting submissions of unpublished plays (on the broad theme "Now and Then") from Quebec companies, producers and writers. Deadline for submissions is April 30 at 6 p.m. For more information, contact VSP at 526-9842.

There is also a contest on to name the festival: submit your entries to the VSP Web site at www.geocities.com/villagescene for a chance to win two festival passes - and, you know, eternal glory. The winning name will be announced at a fundraising event on April 3 at the Mystique bar. Dubbed "Queer Quickies," this will be an eclectic evening of words and music. For tickets call the Mystique at 844-5711 or VSP at 526-9842.

The Drawer Boy, to March 28 at Centaur Theatre (453 St-François Xavier), $20-$38, 288-3161

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