Yesterday, twelve Toronto arts and culture organizations announced the creation of the Bloor St. Culture Corridor, a uniquely Torontonian arts and culture destination.
Toronto’s Bloor Street is a vibrant corridor with a dozen permanent world-class arts organizations presenting professional arts and cultural events for the public year-round in destination venues – all in almost exactly one mile (1.6 kms) – between Bathurst and Bay Streets. These twelve arts and culture organizations have come together in a collaborative partnership, and created the Bloor St. Culture Corridor.
Dancers representing the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto Photo: HyeM.
The Bloor St. Culture Corridor offers a wide variety of arts genres, from museum experiences to films, art exhibitions to music concerts, and it also offers opportunities to experience some of Toronto’s cultural diversity, including French, Jewish, Italian, Japanese and Aboriginal arts and culture. Having lived in the neighbourhood during my university years, I can certainly attest to this diversity. From the cafés, restaurants, shops, museums, and cinema, this corridor is certainly always happening!
At the launch yesterday, we had the pleasure of hearing from Toronto’s Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, as well as members of City Council Michael Thompson, Kristyn Wong-Tam, and Adam Vaughan. All of whom were clearly very supportive of this venture, which will help local residents and visitors to Toronto to enjoy the great wealth of cultural experiences that are so easily accessible on Bloor Street. By working together, the cultural organizations will also increase awareness of the culture destinations and events happening on Bloor Street, as well as nearby restaurants, stores, and hotels. Thus, supporting local business owners as well.
Members of participating Bloor St. Culture Corridor Organizations along with Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly & Members of City Council Photo: HyeM.
The purpose of this endeavour is to help people to connect with what’s happening at the arts and culture destinations on Bloor Street more easily, more often, and plan to include multiple destinations in an afternoon or a day on the Bloor St. Culture Corridor. From the enthusiasm expressed at yesterday’s launch, this has great potential. As well, it can serve as a model for other neighbourhoods in the city. Having grown up in this city and being a supporter of the Arts, I certainly hope to see more efforts like this one in the near future.
Cinéfranco, English Canada’s largest celebration of international Francophone cinema returns to The Royal Cinema in Toronto from Friday, March 28 to Sunday, April 6, for its 17th edition.
This year, you can discover new talents through the 25 feature films and 14 shorts screening at Toronto’s beloved annual showcase of the best of Francophone cinema. Films from Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Morocco and Portugal will grace the big screen, including 14 North American Premieres, 7 English Canadian Premieres and 2 Canadian Premieres.
Cinéfranco will present two programs of shorts on March 29, and April 3. The March 29 program, sponsored FRIC and Le Labo, showcases work from young Quebecois and French filmmakers who will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion. The April 3 program, sponsored FrancoQueer and the Inside Out GLBT Film Festival, will feature several International and Canadian Francophone shorts.
As for feature length films, I’ve taken a look through the program and have come up with a few suggestions for you.
Saturday, March 29 – 2:00pm The Scar / La Cicatrice Q&A with Dir. Jimmy Larouche & Prod. Patricia Diaz
A story about two men who grew up together in school. One was a bully; the other is now the bullied who bullies. The film is about more than bullying. It’s about the invisible scars that linger and can come to create trouble later in life. I’ve read some good stuff about this one, so I am curious about this film.
Saturday, March 29 – 6:30pm Bright Days Ahead / Les Beaux Jours Caroline, a dentist in her sixties, has just retired. So her daughters gave her a membership at the “Beaux jours” Senior Club. Here, Caroline meets a new lover but things get a little complicated as she questions her feelings for her ‘old husband’ as well.
Director Marion Vernoux moves away from the easy “cougar” clichés to prove that age is meaningless in matters of the heart and sexual attraction
After 15 years in prison, Jo returns to his former neighborhood – Ménilmontant, a collection of high rise estates on the gritty outskirts of Paris. It’s all completely changed; new gangs and new codes now rule this place. Jo finds it difficult to settle back into life on the outside, especially when he discovers that the woman he used to love is the mother of a 14 year old boy.
Twelve-year old Aimé, nicknamed Machine Gun (Mitraillette), is a mischievous kid from a housing project outside Paris, where families live alongside criminals and mothers try to keep their kids out of trouble. This isn’t an easy place to grow up. infected by drug trafficking and violence. But Mitraillette wants to believe in a good life like his brother Djibril, a law student at the Sorbonne. He worries about his cousin Isma, now a watchman for Narcisse, the violent neighbourhood boss.
Openly inspired by the Brazilian film City of God, director Julien Abraham depicts these young people’s daily lives in all its human diversity with an enlightening energy and accuracy. I’ve seen City of God and thought it a good film; I’m now curious about La Cite Rose as well.
Jamila and Hédi make a solid couple. In order to blend into Québec way of life, they open a halal butcher shop. Everything seems to smile at them until Hédi’s father comes to settle with them. Not only does he disapprove of Jamila and Hédi’s marriage, he also opens a small mosque in the back of the store to spread his fundamentalist messages.
These are my five choices at the moment. But the festival has many more films to enjoy. For further information on films and other details visit the festival’s website. Also, do note that all films at Cinéfranco are screened with English subtitles.
Cinéfranco will run at the Royal Cinema from March 28 to April 6. Tickets range from $12; Students and Seniors: $10. You can purchase advanced tickets at T.O.TIX*, from Tuesday to Saturday, 12:00 pm to 6:30 pm or online 24 hours a day: cinefranco.com or totix.ca.
In the canopy of the morning sun, the snow melts like thoughts absorbing into the unseen of the season, and the ground moves in increments, as the soil cracks beneath in hope, the birds sing a chorus above; a speckling of the sun, in the face of the day.
Tara Sinclair uses her words to connect nature and nurture. She studied Fish and Wildlife, Psychology, and has an interest in Buddhism. Of Ukrainian and Scottish descent, born and residing in Kelowna BC. You can read more of her writing at AlwaysLittlePieces.wordpress.com.
Oceans take our secrets what we don’t want to see or smell anymore. We feel anonymous we feel clean when we throw our past away. It will wash, we think. It will sink it will drift far from this shore. It will disappear. Maybe the fish will eat our words maybe lost or spurned loves will help deep-sea feathery green plants grow.
Secretos
El océano se lleva nuestros secretos, lo que no queremos ver, ni oler, nunca más. Nos sentimos limpios cuando arrojamos lejos de nosotros el pasado. Se lavará, pensamos, se hundirá. La corriente se lo llevará lejos de esta orilla. Desaparecerá. Tal vez nuestras palabras alimenten a los peces. Tal vez el amor perdido o abandonado haga crecer frondosas y verdes praderas submarinas.
Source: listal.com
Viggo Peter Mortensen, Jr. (October 20, 1958) is an American actor, poet, musician, photographer and painter. He made his film debut in Peter Weir’s 1985 thriller Witness, and subsequently appeared in many notable films of the 1990s. Mortensen grew in fame in the early 2000s with his role as Aragorn in the epic film trilogy The Lord of the Rings. In 2005, he won critical acclaim for David Cronenberg’s crime thriller A History of Violence. Two years later, another Cronenberg film Eastern Promises (2007) earned him further critical acclaim. A third teaming with Cronenberg in A Dangerous Method (2011) resulted in a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor nomination.
Aside from acting, his other artistic pursuits include fine arts, photography, poetry, and music. In 2002, he founded the Perceval Press to publish the works of little-known artists and authors.
The 2014 edition of theCanadian Film Festival (CFF) begins its run tonight, March 20th at the Royal Cinema. Executive Director Bern Euler describes this year’s lineup as ranging “[f]rom dramas, to documentaries and genre films, [it] represents the diversity of work coming from the Canadian filmmaking community.”
Having attended CFF in previous years, I can attest to the variety of films, themes, and talent we have here in Canada. What I like about CFF is that its “main purpose is to bring fresh voices in Canadian independent filmmaking to Torontonians”. The other interesting thing about CFF is its Industry Series for filmmakers. This year, the series includes An Indie Filmmaking Masterclass with Avi Federgreen, as well as the Super Channel Script Accelerator Contest worth $30,000-$50,000 in pre-licensing as first prize. Not bad, eh?
If you have not attended CFF before, I suggest taking a look at the full lineup first. Decide which films based on your preferences, and then just surprise yourself with a random choice.
Feature Film Lineup
PATCH TOWN – Opening Night Film Director: Craig Goodwill March 20, 7pm
Inspired by his award-winning short film of the same name, Craig Goodwill’s feature debut is a surreal, one-of-a-kind vision of faux Russian folklore laid over a sharp satire of contemporary consumer culture.
Jon is just another mindless laborer on an assembly line, but at no ordinary factory. Day after day he and his fellow drones harvest kids from cabbages – kids that will go on to become the beloved toys of little boys and girls in the land outside this dreadful factory. But when Jon discovers an awful secret that he and all the indentured workers are actually grown-up and discarded toys, he’ll have to take on a villainous corporation to reunite with his long-lost mother, protect his newfound family, and finally find freedom.
THE BIRDER Director: Ted Bezaire March 21, 7pm
Ron Spencer, a mild-mannered high-school teacher and devoted bird watcher is thrown into a tailspin of despair after his long sought after position as “Head of Ornithology” at the local Birding Park is given to the young and flashy Floyd Hawkins.
THE PRIVILEGED Director: Leah Walker March 21, 9:15pm
Richard Hunter, a promising young lawyer at a prestigious firm, has the perfect future mapped out. However, a costly mistake with a powerful client has put it all at risk. In a desperate attempt to save his job, Richard and his wife Tara spend the weekend at the cottage of senior partner Preston Westwood. The young couple is quickly seduced by their charismatic hosts’ lavish lifestyle but it is clear that something ominous lies just below the surface. After a devastating act of violence reveals that they have become pawns in a blood feud between the Westwoods and a local family, Richard and Tara must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for success: their morals, their marriage, or their lives.
PLAY THE FILM Director: Alec Toller March 22, 4:15pm When the opening night of a new play goes horribly awry, the actors are forced to frantically improvise the plot onstage. Clashing egos, tested friendships and a series of disastrous misunderstandings combine to create the most offensive, shocking and accidental piece of theater ever to debut in front of a live audience.
H & G Director: Danishka Esterhazy March 22, 6:30pm
A modern retelling of The Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, H & G follows a girl and a boy living in poverty and neglect. After finding themselves lost in the woods, they see a house that appears to be magical and rush toward it. But in this house, danger lurks and all they have is each other.
AFTERPARTY – Closing Night Film Director: Michelle Ouellet March 22, 8:45pm
On the night of his brother’s wedding, best man Charlie gets the old gang back together for a fun-filled, post-reception after party at the newlyweds’ home where he has been staying for several weeks. Unsure of how to proceed with his own troubled marriage, Charlie reunites “the fellas” fifteen years after high school in hopes that revisiting the past will help him find clarity about his plans for the future. What Charlie finds, however, is that while his friends have all taken different paths, they are all faced with similar conundrums that come with being in their thirties.
And let’s not forget the Short Films! These shorts, screen alongside the feature films listed above.
BASTARDS Director: Jeremy LaLonde
An aging rockstar invites his illegitimate children to come live with him with the promise of making one of them his heir.
THE GOLDEN TICKET Director: Patrick Hagarty
Bradley Moore is having a bad day. He gets dumped, evicted and fired all before lunch. But when a stranger offers Brad a Golden Ticket, allowing him to act without consequence for the remainder of the day, things take a turn.
MY OLD MAN Director: Ryan M. Andrews
Cleo hits rock bottom, having lost her family and her job. As she returns to a familiar dark place, the rantings and ravings of an old man force her to re-examine her life.
THE LAST SUPPER Director: Jonathan Eagan
Over dinner, two couples debate the cultural phenomenon of belief in an impending apocalypse. When things get heated the evening takes an unexpected turn.
KATE Director: Illya Klymkiw
A chance encounter compels a former couple to face the irrevocable impact they left on one another in this honest portrait of the fragile yet unyielding tie we can share with someone.
PETER AND JANE KNOW SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE Director: Chris Remerowski
Peter and Jane are looking for love on the Internet. But what you see on a dating profile isn’t always what you get in real life.
Homegrown Shorts Programme March 22, 2pm THE PRINCE Director: Francesco Giannini
An arrogant young man visits his father who appears to be on his deathbed. The son, our “Prince,” does not come to shed tears or to say farewell. He comes for the sole purpose of finding out where his father has hidden the money. The dying man answers with a weak, cryptic response. This visit however, he finally gets an answer. Loud and clear.
EPHEMERAL Director: Rebecca Davis
Ephemeral explores the ethical implications of decisions made at the top of the business world and the personal toll it takes, the isolation people can feel in an overwhelming city, and the unexpected moments of connection that can ultimately bring them together.
SNAPSHOTS Director: Brian Stockton
A personal documentary featuring 5000 still photographs taken over a period of 25 years. A life flashing in front of your eyes in rapid, hypnotic fashion.
MARGARET FINDS HER MOJO Director: Brett Heard
Sweet and eager to please Margaret finds her voice after believing she’s a shoo-in for the job of her dreams.
DE PUTA MADRE: A LOVE STORY Director: Catherine Black
When all have disappointed and life proves to not live up to what she hoped, a women chooses a Latin lover to kill her endless boredom. Fantasy quickly blends into insanity and the woman is forced to fight for her life.
UNCOMMON ENEMIES Director: Alex Hatz
A hard-boiled US Sergeant and a chatterbox Nazi are forced to team up to destroy a sexy, French Vampire in World War II France.
SURVIVAL GUIDE Director: Phil Connell
With a child abductor at large in the neighbourhood, 11 year-old Fleur Flannery must fend for herself when she is left behind after a Girl Guide meeting on a chilly night in 1987.
GUMSHOES Director: Reese Eveneshen
During an unspecified period of existence, John Fracas, a middle-aged, disheartened detective, discusses the specifics of a crime scene, also known as an “orchestration.” He lets loose his emotional frustrations and struggles to a fellow bar patron who cares to listen.
In a span of three days, there is plenty to choose from. The Canadian Film Festival runs from March 20 to March 22. All screenings take place at The Royal Cinema. Tickets ($12.50 + charges) available online or at the door.
World renowned pianist, Guillermo González marks his first visit to Toronto, and Canada, at the Mooredale Concerts Series this Sunday, March 16th. Born in Tenerife, Spain, González is considered a great specialist of Spanish music, and one of the most important Spanish pianists.
Disciple of José Cubiles, Vlado Perlemuter and Jean Paul Sevilla, Gonzáles studied at the Conservatory of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and later in Madrid’s Royal Conservatory of Music, and Paris’ Schola Cantorum and Conservatoire Superieur de Musique. In 1998 he published a new version of Albéniz’s Iberia; this edition is considered the definitive source for the performance of this work. His long career has earned him several critical praises, as well as, important awards and honours.
Since this is Señor González’s first visit to our city, I wanted to learn more about him and his work. He graciously answered a few of my questions.
HM: Given your recital at Mooredale Concerts is your first visit to Canada, could you share more about the musical influences that have led you to this point in your career.
G. González: During the time I studied at the National Conservatory in Paris, with maestro Vlado Perlemuter, I interacted with several Canadian students, including the wonderful pianist Claude Savard. He won first place at one of the musical contests in Munich, actually. My formative years were spent in a Francophone environment and I was lucky to assimilate within the impressionist musical artistry thanks to my mentors, Vlado Perlemuter, who studied under Marcel Ciampi — who was very well versed with Maurice Ravel. During this time, I also learned from Jean Paul Sevilla, a mentor, who through Ciampi learned Debussy’s creations first hand. In fact, Sevilla was a piano professor in Ottawa for about twenty years. I suppose you could say I learned within a Hispanic-French environment.
HM: The Pengyou project, which aimed to teach and share Spanish music at the Shanghai Conservatory and China’s Central Conservatory (Beijing) sounds rather amibitious. In your own words, how would you describe its success thus far?
GG: The Pengyou Project began with very high hopes, and its success has even surprised me. I am invited quite frequently to offer ‘master classes’ at the Conservatories, as a master pianist and as an international professor. As such, I feel very humbled they asked me to participate at the concert celebrating the 2008 Olympic games in China, during which I shared the stage with Lang Lang, Philippe Entremont, Liyun Di, among others.
I believe the Chinese public is very welcoming of other cultures. The success Spanish music has in China is in part due to this country’s need to learn to appreciate different types of music. Traditionally, Spanish music has not reached as wide appeal as it deserves. In China, our music has reached a certain notable impact and appeal. From another perspective, piano studies have become widely popular in the last few years. In this context, a pianist who learns to play Spanish music acquires a specialization that make their programmes and classes even more attractive. Spanish music is not only high class but it outstanding for a pianist to master; this is what makes it so outstanding and valuable in China at the moment.
HM: Your publication of Albéniz’s Iberia has been called its most definitive. For those of us who are new to Albéniz and his work, what makes this piece so important to you? And how should we, as a new audience (so to speak), approach this piece?
GG: Albéniz’s Iberia is important not only for me, personally. Debussy was actually obsessed with El Albaicín and Eritaña. Olivier Messaien even said, “Iberia is a marvellous piece for piano, and it perhaps holds the highest place in terms of pieces for such a regal instrument.” Because of this, it has become a staple in the repertoire of greats like Claudio Arrau and Arthur Rubinstein. Thus, creating an even bigger interest for pianist virtuosos like Marc André Hamelin, Lang Lang and Daniel Barenboim. Currently, there are over 50 recordings of Iberia worldwide; it’s of high interest for international pianists.
For me, Iberia is a fountain of pleasure. I listen to it every morning and night, and always find something new that speaks to me. I never tire of going through its music sheets; something that can only happen with a great composer’s work. Iberia is written rather admirably; its synthesis contains a myriad of elements… we find the traditional language of Andalusian music, forms found in popular Spanish music — starting with Renaissance polyphony– the tradition of the Spanish
Vihuelistas, the organ music from the XVIII century (influenced by Domenico Scarlatti), the Romantic Spanish piano, and several influences from the then new-born Flamenco…
If you listen to this piece of music for the first time, you have to understand that this is not Flamenco. In Iberia, you can find many elements that later became part of Flamenco, but these elements are not the essence of this type of music. In some respects, Albéniz’s approach is quite similar to Béla Bartok’s; except that Bartok often uses popular materials from a literal point of view. Albéniz doesn’t do that… What it’s incidental shouldn’t influence the spiritual message, which [in Iberia] ranges from melancholy to drama. These two essential characteristics united with rhythm, and emphasized by a deep expressiveness, are almost painful to experience.You may frequently believe that Spanish music is cheerful in its nature… far from the truth. Spanish cante has drama and it’s deeply sad. You can never forget that Iberia was composed by a dying and exiled man. Happiness is contemplated with homesickness, which adds a veiled pain.
HM: Your many accomplishments aside, what else are you looking forward to in your career? And what else can we look forward to in terms of recordings, or perhaps a return visit to Toronto?
GG: In my career, I always look forward to keep doing what I do and share it with the public. In terms of recordings, I am currently working on recording more of Albéniz’s piano and orchestral pieces. I’m also preparing to record a prodigious production of choral (canto) and piano by Albéniz alongside Celso Albelo — a singer from my hometown who is enjoying great success in his international career. As far as Toronto, it is a great city. If the occasion arises, I would be more than happy to return.
Señor González certainly is a fountain of knowledge, and a true Albéniz expert! I, for one, am looking forward to his performance this weekend. For now, I entice you with this…
Guillermo González
Mooredale Concerts
Sunday, March 16, 2014, 3:15pm
Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park Crescent
Tickets, $30, or $20 for under age 30,
Avail. online, or by calling 416-922-3714 ext. 103.
**Special thanks go out to Daniel G. Rojo of La Balsa De La Medusafor his invaluable assistance in translating this interview.
why not merely the despaired of occasion of wordshed
is it not better abort than be barren
the hours after you are gone are so leaden they will always start dragging too soon the grapples clawing blindly the bed of want bringing up the bones the old loves sockets filled once with eyes like yours all always is it better too soon than never the black want splashing their faces saying again nine days never floated the loved nor nine months nor nine lives
2
saying again if you do not teach me I shall not learn saying again there is a last even of last times last times of begging last times of loving of knowing not knowing pretending a last even of last times of saying if you do not love me I shall not be loved if I do not love you I shall not love
the churn of stale words in the heart again love love love thud of the old plunger pestling the unalterable whey of words
terrified again of not loving of loving and not you of being loved and not by you of knowing not knowing pretending pretending
I and all the others that will love you if they love you
3
unless they love you
— from Collected Poems in English and French, S. Beckett, Grove Press, Inc. N.Y. 1977. Source: msu.edu.
Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet, who lived in Paris for most of his adult life and wrote in both English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.
Beckett is widely regarded as among the most influential writers of the 20th century. He is considered one of the last modernists. He is one of the key writers in what Martin Esslin called the “Theatre of the Absurd“.
Beckett was awarded the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his writing, which—in new forms for the novel and drama—in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation”.
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of Chekhov Collective‘s The Seagull. The play is set in the Russian countryside during the 19th century. It depicts the romantic and artistic conflicts between four main characters; the famous middlebrow story writer Boris Trigorin (Patrick Garrow), the ingenue Nina (Nicole Wilson), the fading actress Irina Arkadina(Rena Polley), and her son the symbolist playwright Konstantin Tréplev (Riley Gilchrist). A beautiful summer night begins a tangle of emotional intrigues, unrequited love, dreams, family quarrels, and the steady thrum of time passing.
Sitting through the play, I found myself thinking of these various themes and also some questions. Throughout it, I began to wonder “What makes something a ‘rea’ piece of art? Is an abstract piece not ‘real’ because it doesn’t always follow a method or guidelines? And why do we often struggle to view another’s point of view?” Needless to say, The Seagull brings up plenty to think about during it, and afterwards.
Rena Polley and Riley Gilchrist Photo: Victoria Carr
As a ‘collective’, the cast certainly captures the essence of the Chekhov Technique — that of creating an inner event and use that to convey the emotions that tie themselves to the context played out. This is evident in the way the many relationships play out on-stage. It also plays out in how each individual character interacts with the others, and with us, the audience.
Konstantine “thinks in images.” He rejects the standard notion of writing and theatre for his time. He essentially questions the status quo and this upsets his mother, Arkadina, an established theatre actress. This disconnect plays a major toll in this relationship. But Konstantine and Arkadina are only not the only ones struggling in this story. Everyone seems to have underlying issues they are trying to deal, or perhaps not deal, with.
Two male characters, I personally liked Pjotr Nikolayevich Sorin (Greg Ellwand) and Dr. Dorn (Sean Sullivan). They are both funny, and quite observant. They understand others’ personalities and behaviours, more than most. As far as the women, they all excel. But it was Masha (Llyandra Jones), whose depressive personality and dark humour, stood out the most for me. What I enjoyed most was how the collective interacted with one another. They were believable as each of their characters. This is most likely due to their immersive approach, in preparing for this show.
Sean Sullivan and Greg Ellwand Photo: Victoria Carr
From a technical point, The Seagull has a very strong group of designers. The set, sound, and lighting designs echo the various moods of the play. Costumes by Joyce Gunhouse and Judy Cornish of Canadian label Comrags are also outstanding. But perhaps too perfectly so, especially because at times I found myself distracted by a lovely dress or suit, instead of paying more attention to the acting. Nonetheless, this is not a negative for the show whatsoever.
As a whole, The Seagull flows well, through upbeat moments well into its darker undertones. It begins with some comedic parts. It then proceeds with a sense of tension, almost suffocating, all the way to the end. It is not an easy play to sit through, if one is looking for a lighter type of show. But if one appreciates layers of emotional complexity, The Seagull does not disappoint. Chekhov’s words make one question how ideals can influence people’s lives and their behaviour. It clearly depicts how oftentimes dreams are just that, dreams… A sense of loss. And everyone of us can relate to this sense of loss; of times past. A definite recommendation.
I do not know where either of us can turn Just at first, waking from the sleep of each other. I do not know how we can bear The river struck by the gold plummet of the moon, Or many trees shaken together in the darkness. We shall wish not to be alone And that love were not dispersed and set free— Though you defeat me, And I be heavy upon you.
But like earth heaped over the heart Is love grown perfect. Like a shell over the beat of life Is love perfect to the last. So let it be the same Whether we turn to the dark or to the kiss of another; Let us know this for leavetaking, That I may not be heavy upon you, That you may blind me no more.
Louise Bogan (August 11, 1897 – February 4, 1970) was an American poet. She was appointed the fourth Poet Laureate to the Library of Congress in 1945.
Her syle was partially influenced by writers such as Rilke and Henry James, and partially by the English metaphysical poets such as George Herbert, John Donne, and Henry Vaughan.
As poetry editor of The New Yorker magazine for nearly 40 years, Bogan played a major role in shaping mainstream poetic sensibilities of the mid-20th Century.
The 9th Annual Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival returns March 6-16. The festival highlights the best live, scripted comedy in North America. This year is no exemption with a diverse lineup of comedy troupes from around Canada, and abroad.
For those who are not familiar with sketch comedy, in general, it is basically a funny performance that is written, rehearsed and performed by a cast of comedians. If you’ve seen Saturday Night Live, or SCTV, or Kids in the Hall, then you’re familiar with it already. It is different from stand-up or improv. But it’s just as funny!
The 10-day festival offers an array of shows and performances. To make things a little simpler for you, I’ve chosen 5 events that would appeal to some of you.
From its description alone, this is going to make my inner nerd laugh. It will contain “weird science, awkward silence, comic book references and alternate endings to Battlestar Galactica.” You’ve been warned.
If you’re a fan of The Kids in the Hall, this is a not-to-be-missed night. All five members will grace the stage for a live reading of their 1996 cult film, Brain Candy. Musical accompaniment will be performed by the movie’s original film score composer Craig Northey (The Odds), and his all star band featuring Chris Murphy and Gregory MacDonald (Sloan). This is a one-night-only engagement.
Come see 12 of Toronto’s best sketch comedy performers present radio sketches for a chance to win $500 in cold, hard cash, plus a live-album recorded by SiriusXM.
Some of the troupes in the lineup include Tony Ho, Parker and Seville, Rocket Scientists, and more! The winner will be determined by the audience this same night.
From neurotic humour to dumb enough to being funny to hearing as many jokes as you can in one minute, three troupes in one night seems… well, definitely do-able.
As part of the festival’s workshops & panels series, this is a chance to meet sketch artists from other cities, and find out how the live sketch scene works for them. Featuring some of Sketchfest’s out of town performers.
The Lounge Series is open to performers and the public, and admission is FREE.
These are but a few highlights at this year’s festival. Hoping these get you out of the cold, enjoy a few laughs, and try something new.
THE 9TH ANNUAL TORONTO SKETCH COMEDY FESTIVAL
Thursday, March 6 – Sunday, March 16, 2014
The LOT (Lower Ossington Theatre), 100A Ossington Avenue
