Curtains for Roy

Alex is a playwright suffering from writer’s block and harsh reviews. His best friend, Roy, is a theatre director with lung cancer and six months left to live. In pursuit of fresh air and great wine, they go on a road trip to the Okanagan Valley, where Roy rediscovers his passion for theatre. But when he decides to stage a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at a winery, disaster ensues: the woman cast in the lead is the winery owner’s wife and has no talent; wildfires encroach upon the surrounding forest; and Roy slips closer to death, one cigarette at a time.

Curtains for Roy is a hilarious peek into the world of theatre, where the greatest drama is offstage and the best performances take place behind the curtain.

AUTHOR

Aaron Bushkowsky

Aaron Bushkowsky is a poet, playwright, and screenplay writer. His first collection of poetry, ed and mabel go to the moon (1994), was nominated for the Dorothy Livesay Award. His previous work includes the well-received story collection, The Vanishing Man, also published by Cormorant Books, as well as three books of drama, published by Playwrights Canada Press. His produced plays have been nominated for many awards. Aaron lives in Vancouver, where he teaches playwriting and filmwriting at Langara College, Studio 58, Playwrights Theatre Centre, and at the Vancouver Film Centre.

Reviews

“[Bushkowky’s] debut novel, based on real places and (some) true events, has written a tale of two men that reminds me so much of a recent film, Sideways.”
– The Sun-Times

“If Douglas Coupland had his name on the spine, Curtains for Roy would be admired and discussed worldwide as a brilliant comedy of manners, an exceedingly funny and searing portrayal of modern angst, a generational follow-up to Generation X, perfect grist for a movie. It’s that good.”
– BC BookWorld