The December 2011 Rover Art Talks (held in conjunction with the Rover Art Fair) produced three distinct conversations that highlighted the diversity of art experiences and art production in Montreal — and beyond.  Art writer Isa Toussignant and a live audience engage with photographer Linda Ruttenberg, artist Jane Stewart and painters Fiona Ackerman and Luc Paradis in articulate conversation about their experiences and ideas.

Rover podcaster Marc Seltzer was there and caught up these conversations.

Linda Rutenberg in conversation with Isa Toussignant

Jane Stewart in conversation with Isa Toussignant

Fiona Ackerman and Luc Paradis in conversation with Isa Toussignant

PHOTO: Linda Rutenberg with Rover’s Marianne Ackerman

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Many of us remember where we were when we heard about historic events.  How about our memories of reading or listening to literature?  I read that David Sedaris was coming to Montreal, and I instantly recalled the time I heard Sedaris reading his Santaland Diaries on public radio in Southern California in 1992.  Then it occurred to me that I could recall where I was each time I read a Sedaris book as well. Laughing hard while reading calls some attention to the experience, and I did laugh aloud.

Marianne Ackerman raised the question in her Rover post this week about how big a following Sedaris has in Quebec.  I don’t have the answer, but I thought it might be worth excerpting a few audio samples of Sedaris reading his work.  A unique voice and a comic one, Sedaris mines everyday life and personal idiosyncrasies to powerful effect.  Click below.

Sampling David Sedaris

David Sedaris will be appearing at Théâtre Maisonneuve tonight, at 7:30 pm. For tickets and more information visit: http://pda.qc.ca/pda-evenement/5874/david-sedaris.en.html

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Université de Sherbrooke English professor Gregory Reid and Marc Seltzer of The Rover talk about Writing in the Time of Nationalism, by Linda Leith.

“Francophone Quebec nationalism crested in about 1995 with the second referendum, and that was an incredibly productive period and that launched all kinds of really interesting English writing in Quebec specifically because there was a dramatic situation to write about, because there was a sense of pressure and maybe to some degree conflict and a desire to find ways of accommodating the new circumstances and so on.”

http://roverarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Rover-Podcast_Reid-Final_Apr2011.mp3

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Comedy and politics will be on display this Saturday as Jon Stewart (The Daily Show) and Stephen Colbert (Colbert Report) host a “Rally to Restore Sanity.” While the live event takes place on the Mall in Washington D.C., Democrats Abroad Canada’s Montreal Chapter is organizing a rally-watching party at Champs Bar & Restaurant, 3956 Saint Laurent, in Montreal, on October 30, 2010, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Everyone is welcome and fans of political humour, satire and the right to question authority should find some satisfaction in the midst of an otherwise ugly political season south of the border. “In this atmosphere of hate-mongering and absurd accusations, Jon Stewart is consistently one of the most sane voices out there,” says Debra Lazar, who is looking forward to the rally. “Stewart has struck a chord with people who are seeking a more reasonable means of resolving their differences.”

The Rally to Restore Sanity is billed as a response to the U.S. Fox News conservative provocateur Glenn Beck’s Rally to Restore Honor, which brought hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic anti-Obama protestors to Washington in August. As Susan Bissonnette of Montreal, who will be attending the Democrats Abroad rally party at Champs sees it: “Insane: the Tea Party, Sane: Barack Obama is President of the United States.” Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity has received hundreds of thousands of RSVPs, and satellite rallies have popped up around the globe.

“There have been many mass protests at the Lincoln Memorial,” notes Byron Toben, a U.S. citizen and longtime resident of Montreal, “notably Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech, and the anti-Viet Nam demonstration, but Jon Stewart`s Restoring Sanity rally augurs to be the first one to use humour in a good cause.”

Under the strain of high unemployment and the challenge of progressive political leadership, the conservative movement in the United States has rallied the public with once-thought-extreme statements about immigration policy, religious tolerance, and the social safety net. Candidates running in the U.S. mid-term elections and favoured to win have espoused repealing the recently enacted health care reform, dismantling government retirement programs, and rejecting climate change legislation.

Stewart and Colbert have taken on politicians of all parties and used humour to challenge the lack of integrity and outright corruption of power. At a recent Democrats Abroad event in Montreal, a number of people expressed the desire to attend the Rally in Washington. Instead, we have decided to gather in Montreal to watch and express our solidarity and support from the liberal enclave we now call home.

Marc Seltzer is Montreal Chapter Chair of Democrats Abroad Canada and a theatre reviewer for Rover.

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Fat Pig, by contemporary American playwright Neil LaBute, is ostensibly a love story about a rather emotionally immature young professional, Tom, and an articulate but vulnerable, overweight young woman, Helen. Each is searching for more than they have previously found in relationships and, when they meet, some chemistry is evident.

Helen is bigger than Tom and her weight becomes the driving conflict of the story. For her part, Helen makes her size an overt part of their romance, through constant self-deprecating humour. In this, she reveals vulnerability and invites connection. Tom takes the bait, but as the relationship continues, the stakes get higher. This would be enough for a tidy little drama about love and character. But relationships are not straight forward in Neil LaBute’s oeuvre. (The last one I saw, his retelling of Oedipus, cast Ed Harris, in a one-man show, set in a mortuary – one man, one casket – smooth-talking the audience through his passionate love for his recently departed wife and mother).

At the office, we see Tom, cast well and performed capably by Timothy Diamond, pal around with his buddy Carter (Francis J. Martins). Carter’s banter is juvenile and relentless, but his control of Tom is deep and dark, belying an undercurrent of bullying and passivity. The further Carter goes into the crass and profane, the nasty and hurtful – at Tom’s and Helen’s expense – the weaker Tom looks through his lack of response.

This ugliness is put in sharp contrast to the budding romance, which displays tender affections and Helen’s articulation of feelings for and appreciation of Tom. Another foil for understanding character is the office romance Tom has, or has not, ended with Jeannie, played by Rachelle Néron. Whatever their past, Jeannie asks Tom for some clarity about their future. Yet Tom seems only to try to craft the answer that will be most ambiguous.

The question in Fat Pig is who is this man and what is the nature of his character. And thus begins a difficult journey. Tom talks to Helen with tender respect when they are alone and professes to like her the way she is, yet Tom hides Helen from his friends and colleagues.

Directed by Joe Garque, Fat Pig seems somewhat awkwardly balanced between Tom’s office life and romantic quest. The dynamism of the office relationships – Martins is both hilarious and disturbing in his villainy as the friend, and Néron bursting in anger as an insulted lover but more convincing in sincere moments – eclipse at times the love story. Emma Lanza plays Helen with heart, but lacks emotional punch. Thus, the unwinding of the office tale feels more important than it might, though this may be an accident of casting, direction and performance rather than core story.

Reminiscent in some ways of LaBute’s feature film Your Friends and Neighbours, Fat Pig raises questions about human failings and the hurt they cause. LaBute writes tightly crafted dialogue exposing raw feelings and brutal wounds. The density makes for challenging material to present and despite obvious effort, the delivery here is uneven. Still the high points are powerful. The show succeeds in delivering a memorable and entertaining examination of emotional hollows, and is a welcome opportunity to witness LaBute’s unique voice in contemporary theatre.

Fat Pig runs through the 18th of September at Théâtre Ste. Catherine. Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday Matinees at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday Sept 14 is 2 for 1 night.

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Not to be missed at the MainLine Theatre is a musical comedy reimagining the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, in middle age. With text and lyrics by Jeremy Hechtman and Patrick Goddard, inspired by a story of Garrison Keillor, this is smartly written comedy delivered with great timing by a well-rehearsed and able cast.

There are fabulous original songs with music by Nick Carpenter, and the large ensemble delivers some fine harmonies with their bawdy lyrics and sarcastic expressions.

In a wonderful opening act, Dionysus, played with spirit and joy by Paul Van Dyck, reminds us of the pleasures of wine, women and song. Lovely nymphs sing silly songs, and the god feeds the audience grapes off his loin bunch. However, The Mid-life Crisis of Dionysus soon takes a fateful turn. Dionysus, associated through the ages with revelry and indulgence, finds that middle age has caught up with him. His wife is nagging him about his drinking, his doctor needs to do more tests and things anatomical just aren’t working the way they used to. Van Dyck commands the stage and, while he looks a bit young for the pathos of aging, his presence brings the audience along on the journey.

Excellent direction by co-author Hechtman turns the ribald details of man’s decline into brilliantly choreographed stage comedy. Dionysus on a hospital gurney with attendants rushing about amid concern for his failing virility; or at the dinner table with the wife, politely negotiating just another drop of wine, while male and female choruses volley the frustrations of moderation and compromise — “jerk!” “bitch!” prick!” “pussy!” These high-energy numbers are spectacular farce – original, uproarious and integrated perfectly into the story. Other song and dance numbers are reminiscent of old Hollywood musicals (replete with old-fashion dance-girl costumes or other splendid touches in wardrobe by Lindsay Wesbrook), Frank Sinatra skits, or rock and roll history.

Goddard performs well as the chorus leader and the cast moves well from comic skit to chorus song. Eleanor Young and Vance de Waele add standout flourishes, stepping out from the chorus and into over-the-top characters, among many bright moments. The mortality-play story of aging is not lost in the theatrics, although its twists and turns are not always compelling. The show is moved along by music and song and an abundance of good humour.

Mid-life is an ambitious offering and it succeeds by many accounts. It is equal parts music, song, story and language, and all are capably presented. The musical score includes a wide variety of sound from rock and roll to klezmer. The music is very good and the musicians feed the songs and stage-play well without taking over. While the lyrics are often silly, the singers perform them admirably, moving all the while. A couple of songs fall flat, but these are dwarfed by the success of so many others.

In fact, with so many jokes and so much song, the show would have benefited from a bit of editing. The authors have packed the experience with layers of humour, history and sound. They may be guilty of overdoing it. But then with Dionysus in the house, you can hardly expect moderation to come easily.

The Mid-life Crisis of Dionysus is at the MainLine Theatre through March 6, 2010. For details and tickets go to the MainLine site.

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My favourite moments in Swan Song of Maria were watching Joe, played by Joel Miller, tenderly support his wife, Jillian (Ranee Lee), through her struggle with insecurity and mental decline. The couple has spent a lifetime together, and even the great conflicts and loss they face are subsumed within the container of their love and relationship. Still, the man has patience.

In a recurring exchange, Jillian expresses her tormenting jealousy over Joe’s youthful passion for Maria, a young Cuban woman. Joe points out the obvious: “I married you.” But Jillian replays Joe’s infatuation, reaching back past a lifetime together, in order to pick the wounds of her self-esteem. Despite Jillian’s continued complaints, Joe loves and accepts that this is Jillian, rather than some misunderstanding that can be clarified.

There is much human frailty here, and memory plays a central role. Curiously, Jillian is not the only one replaying memories of the past. Joe walks the stage reciting political rhetoric inspired by his time in Cuba, now a half-century past. Of his present fate, he barely utters a word, but when it comes to revolution, will he ever stop? For Joe the memories seem a defense against reality, as though youth could be preserved by holding onto its dreams.

As Jillian’s caretaker in their older years, Joe faces more than her insecurity. Jillian’s loss of memory robs her of abilities and comprehension. Conveyed well by Lee, Jillian struggles in her lucid moments to preserve her dignity and control her life in spite of illness. Her worst moments are terrifying. Miller plays Joe with abundant compassion and resolve, although he may not be capable of giving Jillian what she needs.

In its world premiere at the Black Theater Workshop, Carol Cece Anderson’s probing play was directed by Tyrone Benskin. The set was designed by Amy Keith with costuming by Susana Vera.

With strong acting, the play achieves a moving portrait of difficult subject matter. While the set allowed for a few dance bits at the front of the stage, it caused the far-more-intimate action to be set back. This may not have been the best choice, since so much of the drama is already sombre and contained.

While the bulk of Swan Song of Maria takes place in their later years, I also had difficulty with the flashbacks to earlier days. These scenes, such as Jillian’s pregnancy, work best when gimmicks, such as the pillow in Jillian’s belly, show us that they are in their youth. Without such props or more complete costume changes, I found it difficult to imagine the two characters at different points in their lives.

Swan Song of Maria continues through November 22. For details and ticket information, go to the Black Theatre Workshop site.

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The setting for Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee’s play Inherit the Wind, is a small conservative Tennessee town during the first half of the 20th century. When a local school teacher, Bertram Cates, is arrested for teaching Darwin’s evolutionary theory in contravention of state law, the pious Southern community becomes the unlikely locus of a national debate on freedom of thought.

The 1955 play loosely follows the true story of the “Scopes Monkey Trial” of 1925. Two senior iconic political figures arrive in Tennessee to argue the case, and the national press corps descends upon the town to cover the “trial of the century.” Religious conviction certainly guided societal norms. But in a world of new inventions and discoveries, how could schools shut the book on science? Was the state of human knowledge so complete that government could close men’s minds to new ideas?

This tale of challenge to and defense of intellectual freedom was of particular interest to the playwriting team of Lawrence and Lee, who wrote Inherit the Wind during the 1950s, when U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy’s investigation of communist sympathizers in the United States was in high gear. McCarthy’s targets were purged from their employment in government, business and the arts and pressured to reveal friends and family members whose thoughts, associations and activities were suspect. Thus, Inherit the Wind was born a parable of the need for tolerance of individual liberty.

The core of the play is the brinksmanship and argument of two distinguished old men, three-time presidential candidate and prosecution counsel, Mathew Brady, and crafty defense lawyer, Henry Drummond, played by veteran actors David Francis and Sean McCann, respectively. Brady, played by Francis with quiet fervour and a touch of resignation, relies on faith for answers and for the criminal conviction he seeks. McCann’s Drummond, on the other hand, is a keen strategist whose command of the lively and artful rhetoric is a highlight of the show. He turns each line into a tactical barb, challenging orthodoxy, inviting understanding, and defending freedom. Drummond hammers away at Brady’s certainty in the literal reading of scripture. Brady’s beliefs hold firm but seem inadequate to the questions asked as though he cannot grasp the post-cubist world of multiple perspectives.

These two men have a history and their relationship is a complex admixture of competition, conflicting values, and regret over lost friendship. When Brady asks why they have become distant, Drummond counters, “All motion is relative. Perhaps it is you that has moved away by standing still.”

Unlike the legal teams, however, the people of Hillsboro, Tennessee, are not seeking the political spotlight. The teacher on trial, Cates, played by Karl Graboshas, and his romantic interest, Rachel, played by Tamara Brown, are caught up in a storm beyond their understanding. Cates has a reserved dignity as the catalyst and unlikely hero of the story. Rachel, the local every(wo)man, doesn’t want to make waves or see her man get hurt. Yet Brown makes the most of her character’s dilemma, navigating a web of societal expectations on the way to finding her own truth. Rachel’s conversations with Cates and others sparkle with vulnerability and feeling, punctuating the play’s sometimes too-even register. Directed by Greg Kramer, with a set by Elli Bunton and costumes by Susana Vera, Inherit the Wind is the opening play of the Segal Centre’s 2009-2010 season.

Today we may be tempted to take freedom of thought for granted, and it has, no doubt, become a sacred institution in much of the West. Lawrence and Lee wisely caution that the forces that inhibit freedom may change their place and time, and that defenders of liberty must be willing to put up a spirited defense.

Inherit the Wind is playing at The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts through November 8. For more information and ticket details, go to the Segal Centre site.

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The final play of British playwright Sarah Kane, 4.48 Psychosis, presents a tightly bound construction of personal despair. Two nameless characters, seemingly expressing one mind, struggle against a downward spiral of mental illness, like a double helix of psychological destiny. In this production, directed by Liz Truchanowicz, the words come fast, laid down in overlapping patterns of pain and desperation.

Shane Houlston, in the male role, and Stéphanie Breton, his female counterpart, converse and interact, but remain like hollowed voices echoing in an obsessive mind. Unable to escape the mental anguish they narrate, they do slip briefly into firmer roles, or at least memories, of doctors, friends, and lovers, and cryptically illustrate scenes of external reality, from psychiatric care to difficult relationships – and suicide attempts.

The tight staging – empty of furnishings with bare costuming – emphasizes internal reality, and gives Psychosis a hint of the asylum ward. In addition, the two stage voices are supplemented by an atmospheric voice-over, at times layering words and information on top of the action.

Houlston’s performance is full of feeling, and the characters work well off each other, racing through challenging banter with crack timing. Yet Breton’s articulation of the crevices of agony does not plumb the depths. There is some portrayal of psychological defense at work. “Don’t you feel?” Houlston’s character asks. But the rareness of Breton’s reach into deep emotion steals power from the show of numbness through its low contrast. Houlston and Breton do make a moving connection as they argue and console over the decision to succumb or survive. A dose of profanity is released in the struggle, along with plenty of incomprehension-born anger, which punctuates the performance and keeps it moving.

The duality of nitty-gritty references to psychotropic drugs, suicide attempts and isolation, paired with an existential struggle for survival and comprehension, is no light fare. I was reminded of Sartre’s No Exit (Huis Clos), illustrating a living hell and Becket’s Waiting for Godot with characters groping in existential darkness. Yet there is no humour or invitation to irony here. Psychosis, for all its removal from daily goings on – its apparent theatrical abstraction, drills relentlessly into the mind’s grasping for control and solace amid psychological fracture. The tone is more Night Mother, Marsha Norman’s contemplation of depression and suicide.

Playwright Kane was only twenty-eight when she committed suicide in 1999, shortly after finishing Psychosis. Though it may be tempting to see only anguish, the play stands as an artful exploration of mind. Psychosis puts a state of mental illness under the magnifying glass with candid power. This is largely uncovered territory – for the theatre – and it is presented in a way that transports, though it does feel somewhat removed, underplaying conventions of character arch and story. Nonetheless, a unique gift, Psychosis entertains, even as it asks us to face the unfathomable.

4.48 Psychosis continues at Lab Space of the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts through September 26th. Box Office and for more information go to Theatre In Actu.

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