10 Days on Earth
Awards
- Nominated, Governor General's Literary Award for Drama 2007
Description
He lived alone with very little and more than enough, and preferred it that way. "Simply simply," he was oft heard to say. He was alone, on his own, and that was okay. ..
Darrel is a middle-aged intellectually challenged man who lives with his mother. When she dies in her sleep, Darrel does not realize she is gone, and so, for over a week, he lives alone. Tandem to Darrel's day-to-day routine are the adventures of his favourite children's book characters, Honeydog and Little Burp. Their search for a home leads the dog and duck duo to an understanding of family, while Darrel's ease in the world illustrates just how his mother has paved the path for him to be without her. Episodes from the past, like faded colour snapshots from a family album, illustrate this mother's love for her son in all its honesty and fierce, unwavering will. Simple, tender, funny and unapologetic, 10 Days On Earth asks: If you were alone but didn't know it, would you feel lonely?
Reviews
"Ronnie Burkett's 10 Days on Earth is about as close to a masterpiece as you can get. "
- Stage Noise, Sydney, Australia
"It takes your breath away. Burkett is an artistic treasure. "
- CBC Radio, Toronto