“What do you see?” repeats Mark Rothko to his assistant in an early scene of the Segal Centre’s RED, a Montreal production of the hit Broadway play by John Logan. Lead actor Randy Hughson’s shrewd Rothko may as well be directing that question at us, his mantra imploring the audience[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
Loucho scores big with kids—and the kid in all of us
Playing at Theatre Sainte-Catherine until December 2, Loucho: The Multicoloured Machine is a colourful explosion of giggles, gags, dance, juggling, balloons, hula hooping, acrobatics, pantomime, amazing feats of strength and balance, and straight-up fun. It has live music, audience participation, fabulous costuming, and a liquor license. Take note: when this[Read More…]
Scala & Kolacny Brothers: December
There are no “Hallelujahs” or “Jingle Bells” in this Christmas cover compilation, but the unconventional song choices, including covers of Linkin Park, Coldplay, and Damien Rice, only augment the audible pleasure of December. This is choir music: voice-centric and airy, but managing to stand out with exceptional emotional expression and[Read More…]
SoHo Ghetto: Humble Beginnings Make for Good Night Life
Halifax’s SoHo Ghetto have created a pleasant, if not wholly unique, blend of pop and orchestral styles. The indie band’s newly released EP, Humble Beginnings Make for Good Night Life, certainly correspond to that style. The six tracks provide easy-listening, but a few listens are necessary to appreciate the songs’[Read More…]
John Frusciante: PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone
If you are among the many that are disappointed with the latest Red Hot Chili Peppers album, 2011’s I’m With You, here’s the possible explanation, and a potential cure. Since strongest creative force in the band, guitarist John Frusciante, departed the group, he has been pouring his talents into solo[Read More…]
Blown Up: Gaming and War—a frustrating chore
I walked through the doors of the Montreal, arts interculturels (MAI) last Friday to find the exhibit space deserted. “Excellent,” I thought to myself, as I passed the archway to the main hall—the stormy afternoon seemed an opportune time, and the ideal backdrop, to see the MAI’s latest offering, Blown[Read More…]
Hitchcock: the ‘master of suspense’ at his finest
The conception, production, and release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is truly a whirlwind story in its own right. With an exceptional cast consisting of Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, and Jessica Biel, Hitchcock is the definition of Oscar bait. Director Sacha Gervasi’s innovative telling of Alfred Hitchcock’s story sets[Read More…]
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
Fear of the feminine captured by an entirely female cast, McGill English department’s production of The Revenger’s Tragedy by Thomas Middleton adds a layer of gendered irony to the Jacobean-era tragedy. This directorial choice by Patrick Neilson illuminates the period’s anxiety regarding women’s sexuality, bringing together a variety of lively[Read More…]
Lincoln: moral progress has never looked so glorious
The vote to finally abolish slavery in the U.S. was so very close—shockingly close, in fact. Two more votes could have continued to condemn an entire class of living, breathing human beings to the status of property. If the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice, Abraham Lincoln is[Read More…]
Monkeys vs. Adam and Eve: Players’ Theatre holds court
Society generally accepts Darwin’s theory of evolution. Nevertheless, there remain pockets that deny its validity—the state of Tennessee, for instance, recently began teaching creationism in schools. With the origins of man still a controversial topic, McGill student Annabel Raby decided to direct Inherit the Wind: a play examining both sides[Read More…]
