Theatre. The New Classical Theatre Fest-various venues-through Sept. 10
Although this theatre fest has been a yearly fixture for quite a while, this year's incarnation is the first that truly deserves to be called a festival. Originally conceived as a forum for minimalist productions focusing on ideas rather than strict scripting, a grant has allowed the festival to grow from a small, two-show event to an eight-show, three-venue extravaganza. Among the featured plays is The Raven, a one-man multimedia landscape based on Edgar Allan Poe's poem, as well as a new interpretation of Oedipus Rex presented by Gravy Bath Productions, the festival's founder. Call 739-7944 for venue and showtime information.
Art. Binary by Submission-Zev Tiefenbach-Zeke's Gallery-3955 St-Laurent-through Oct. 4
Tiefenbach, the artist and activist behind Concordia's People's Potato, a free vegan collective, has submitted to the forward march of technology. Despite being alienated by the digitalization of the world, his new photography exhibit incorporates a very postmodern concept: each photo comes with an audio message accessed by pressing pound and the number of the photograph. The photos, most featuring the urban decay of rundown areas of Toronto, are also often paired with cryptic, typewritten text reminiscent of blog excerpts. His commentary on city life is impersonal but obscurely touching; his focus is on the marks people leave rather than the individuals themselves. It's a project about people, but the people are present only in the anonymity of the traces they leave behind.
Film. 2046-Now showing at Cinéma du Parc
2046 is the newest offering from acclaimed Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai. In his usual fashion, 2046 is a bundle of raw nerves and heart-wrenching melancholy wrapped up in a cinematically stunning package. The name refers to the title of a science fiction novel that narrator Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung) is writing; it also has political significance as the year that Hong Kong's 50 years of self-regulatory status, as promised by the Chinese government in 1997, runs out. The storyline itself is one of tortured love, set in the late sixties and featuring the likes of Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li as Chow's ephemeral sweethearts. Visit www.cinemaduparc.com for showtimes.
Music. Sigur Rós-Théâtre Maisonneuve-175 rue Ste-Catherine O., in Place des Arts-Sept. 16
Hailing from Iceland, Sigur Rós is an atmospheric, post-rock four-piece that sings both in Icelandic and Hopelandic, a purely improvised mix of syllables that have no translation. Singer Jónsi simply makes up sounds to go with the music, transforming the eerily beautiful vocals into just another instrument. Sigur Rós builds rich trippy dreamscapes using thready bass, layered synths and a guitar played with a cello bow. By all reports, their shows are striking.
-compiled by Melissa Price
