Stage
NOW Talks: Sandra Shamas NOW’s senior entertainment editor Susan G. Cole talks with Shamas on the eve of the big opening of Wit’s End III: Love Life, the latest chapter in her series about a savvy urbanite living in the country. At the Drake. See listing here.
Saint Carmen Of The Main The National Arts Centre/Canadian Stage co-production of the Michel Tremblay classic about a country and western singer opens tonight at the Bluma Appel Theatre. See interview with the play’s director Peter Hinton here.
AllOneWord This showcase of six dance pieces choreographed by James Kudelka – all to the same piece of music – opens tonight at the Enwave Theatre. See interview with dancer/producer Laurence Lemieux here and listing here.
Film
Dogtooth Greek director Giorgos Lanthimos’s bizarre Oscar-nominated feature about the effects of a non-traditional upbringing on three children continues to find an audience at the Royal Cinema. Two screenings tonight. See review here and listing here.
Reel Paddling Film Festival Pretend it’s not the middle of winter by taking in the annual festival of films about canoeing, sea kayaking, whitewater rafting and other nice-weather activities. At the Bloor Cinema. See listing here.
Community
My Journey to Afghanistan An eyewitness report by Spogmai Akseer of Afghans for Peace, an org mobilizing Afghans world-wide to stand against war and occupation, is the highlight of this funder. Dinner will also be provided along with entertainment by Acidflow and others. Also featured is the NDP’s Peggy Nash. 6:30 pm. $10-$25 sliding scale. Steelworkers Hall. See listing.
Canadian Mining in Guatamala In 2009, a Mayan Q’eqchi community leader, Adolfo Ich Chaman, a foe of Canadian mining activities was killed and now, his wife Angelica Choc has launched a lawsuit in Canadian courts against HudBay Minerals. Come hear Amnesty International’s Graham Russell talk about the case. 7:30 pm. Free. Amnesty International. See listing.
Music
Herculoids Unite! DJ Kool Herc is widely recognized as one of the key pioneers of hip-hop, but recently he’s had some serious health problems, and he doesn’t have the luxury of Canadian health care. To help with the costs of his care, hip-hop heads all over the world have been throwing benefits, and you can check out the Toronto edition tonight at Wrongbar. See listing.
Art
Wafaa Bilal Iraqi video/performance artist Bilal – who has “re-skinned” the Al Qaeda video game Quest For George Bush, which Al Qaeda adapted from the Americans’ Quest For Saddam video game, and had his back tattooed with a map of dots to represent U.S. and Iraqi war casualties – gives a talk at OCADU. He currently teaches art at New York University. See listing.
Books
Our Way To Fight Launch of a new book documenting creative resistance to the occupation in Paenstine on both sides of the wall, at Beit Zeitoun. See listing.
Wesley Williams The author, also known as rap groundbreaker Maestro Fresh Wes, talks about his book Stick To Your Vision, at Centennial Library, as part of Black History Month. See listing.
