It’s hard to believe that Brad Fraser’s been pricking up our ears for nearly a quarter of a century, with uncompromising plays like Unidentified Human Remains And The True Nature Of Love and Poor Super Man. He lost out on the top job at Buddies, but he’s unafraid to speak his mind about True Love Lies, which opens at the Factory this week. It’s another comedy-drama featuring his alter ego, David, who this time discovers that an ex-lover has married a woman and fathered two children. See Previewing, page 84.

Has turning 50 mellowed you?

Yes, but it’s also made me smarter, and smart people can’t help but be angry about certain things.

David’s also 50. If he’s a theatrical alter ego, how are you most different from him?

He’s much more handsome and popular than I am. Also, his relationships end when the curtains close or the lights fade to black. Mine, however, continue on and on and on….

How are you most similar?

We both try to live our lives without fear.

You’ve blasted theatre critics over the years. Do you fear it’ll affect you come review time?

Do I fear it? No. Will it happen? Probably. Has it affected my career? No. Is there a difference between a reviewer and a critic? Yes. Having an opinion doesn’t make one a critic any more than being able to type makes one a writer. I will always respond to reviewers in the same spirit in which they write about me. These things should be a dialogue, and I like to keep it that way.

Will Soulpepper ever mount the David plays, as they’ve done with French’s Mercer cycle?

In the far future when we’re all dead and that theatre’s being run by exciting young people.

So… what would you have done at Buddies to turn it around?

Fired the board.

This show is being done at Factory, you’ve presented shows at Passe Muraille, Buddies and CanStage…. Does the Tarragon smell?

Yes, it does. It smells of Shalimar and Lagerfeld from its audience. However, I don’t think this had anything to do with why my plays have never been done there. That can be chalked up to a lack of chemistry between myself and any Tarragon artistic director of the last 30 years.

You had a key role in the North American Queer As Folk series. What effect do you think it’s had on pop culture?

Aside from some occasional groundbreaking storylines, often excellent direction and intermittent fine acting, I suspect QAF will be remembered for proving that straight women love to watch two hot men getting it on just as much as straight dudes enjoy the lesbian scenes. Equality for all, I say!

Keanu Reeves starred in your first play, Wolfboy. What’d you think of him then?

Nice kid, needed some training.

Last play that made you stand up and cheer?

Afterimage, by the Artistic Fraud company out of Newfoundland.

That made you stand up and walk out?

Really, there are far too many to list, although I will say Toronto is still desperately waiting for a good production of anything by Joe Orton.