3: One quarter into the millennium

5: This is what

1: This is what death looks like

ALL: Shake

3: One quarter into the millennium

5: This is what

1: I look like

2: This is what

1: This is what I look like

3: One quarter into the millennium

They all hum, as 1 performs a monologue.

1: The bus was late

I was waiting for it but it was late

I reached into my pocket to grab my phone

to check the time

but my pocket was empty

In my mind’s eye I could suddenly see my phone

sitting on my bedside table still charging

I had not fuck I had not taken it with me fuck

I had my hand in my pocket

when I looked up and I saw her jogging toward me

Jogging out of the house in her nightgown and slippers

She was home because she was in the midst of chemo

No longer working

Bald and jogging toward me

This is my mother I thought to myself

This is her love

Jogging with my phone toward me

Bald and in her slippers

This is her love

This is a declaration of her love

She arrived at the bus stop and handed me my phone

She handed me my phone

She said: This is your phone

As if I didn’t recognize it

She handed me my phone

and kissed me on the cheek

Kissed me on the cheek just the one time

ALL: One time

1: Once on the cheek

And then I watched her walk back toward our house

The two minutes of her walk

Back toward our house

And then watched her walk

back into our house

Where she lived the rest of the day

Where she lived one more day

Until I returned home

Lights slowly fade as they hum.

Darkness.

End of piece.

Declarations in rehearsal

Acknowledgements

Firstly, my heartfelt thanks to the ensemble of the original production: Liz Peterson, Jennifer Dahl, Danielle Baskerville, Philip Nozuka, and Robert Abubo, for their tireless, generous spirits. I am also indebted to our production team: Kimberly Purtell, Ashley Ireland, A. J. Laflamme, Greg Dougherty, Heather Landon, Lee Milliken, Lynanne Sparrow, Sally Roberts, and Ming Wong. To all of the staff at Canadian Stage, from publicity and marketing to box office to the front of house team, thank you for bringing Declarations to life. An extra special thank you to Matthew Jocelyn and Sherrie Johnson for years of collaboration and support.

There were a number of people and institutions along the way who believed in Declarations and helped push it forward. Particular thanks to Colin Rivers, Luke Holbrook, Birgit Schreyer Duarte, Erin Brubacher, Evalyn Parry, and Why Not Theatre. Also to Norman Armour, Joyce Rosario, the PuSh Festival, and the ensemble of performers who gifted me the opportunity to try out an early incarnation of Declarations back in 2016.