the 'clean' blood supply in order to finance their careers. Edna goes through her own journey - conversing with Christ, accepting the death of her husband from an Aids-related illness (acquired during heart surgery), and her own HIV positive status, something that is only revealed towards the end of the show.
"It's a big journey," admits Burkett, "and it's quite relentless emotionally. What was really important for me was to put a different face on HIV."
It's a stratagem that works, shocking the audience - who gave Burkett a five-minute ovation - out of their own complacency after being entertained with camp humour and spectacular puppetry. It's not the gay man of the piece who has HIV, but plain, ordinary Edna.
"Edna has this mixture of incredible small-minded pettiness combined with an enormous largesse of spirit. She embodies Canadians," explains Burkett.
Sadly, 'Street of Blood' gets retired at the end of Burkett's UK tour this summer. The good news is that there will be plenty more from Burkett as both a puppeteer and a performer. Edwin J Bernard

For more info on Ronnie Burkett, contact his agent at: info@johnlambert.ca

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