Martin Yesterday, a play by Brad Fraser about the everyday problems of an openly gay politician, will have its world premiere Oct. 18 at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto. It will be directed by the playwright.

The drama is set in Toronto's gay Church-Wellesley community and centers on the relationship between the H.I.V.-positive city councillor Martin Yesterday (Stewart Arnott) and a comic book artist (Steve Cumyn, who won a Dora Award--the Canadian equivalent of Broadway's Tony Award--for Best Actor for Angels in America).

Brad Fraser, a provocative playwright whose work has been produced extensively in Canada and the UK, is the author of Poor Super Man, Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love, The Ugly Man, Prom Night of the Living Dead, Young Art, and Wolf Boy. His screenplay credits include Love and Human Remains.

Fraser has been honored with a London Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright. Martin Yesterday was originally commissioned for BBC Radio and will be broadcast in the UK in November.

Since it opened its doors in 1979, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre has been committed to developing and producing new and radical Canadian plays. This season's schedule also includes Diane Flacks's one woman show Random Acts (Nov. 27-Dec. 14); a lesbian cabaret to be hosted by Moynan King (Nov. 14); Baal, a new play by Rose Cullis (Jan. 8-25); and the annual Rhubarb Festival of new works (Feb. 3-22).Martin Yesterday is scheduled to run through Nov. 9, and there is a "good possibility" it will be extended until Nov. 23, according to a theater spokesperson. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is located at 12 Alexander St. In Toronto. For tickets or more information, call (416) 975-8555.

-- By Rebecca Paller