The food/music/art smorgasbord festival Montréal en Lumière kicked off Thursday. Head outside Place-des-arts for fun and free activities, from the Our Cheese Gourmet Station, the Ferris Wheel, the Urban Slide to the nightly free show, Black Light, which features fire, '80s electronica and illumination (daily, 6 and 7:30pm). Or splurge on a four-course meal at the SAQ Bistro inspired by 'The World of Incredible Maple' and see The Franklin Electric at the MTelus Theatre.
Puppets who strip! Marionette master Ronnie Burkett opened The Daisy Theatre this week at the Centaur. As a teen, Ronnie started making and performing puppets while growing up in Medicine Hat, Alberta. He now tours the world with his 50-something puppets… some of which you will see strip, vent, dance, perform ventriloquism, and mock their audience (while sometimes hitting on them). There's a gay rabbit, would-be fairy Schnitzel and foul-mouthed lounge singer Rosemary Foccaccia. My favourites from Thursday night: Lillian, Canada's oldest and worst actress, who engaged with audience volunteer (and professional actor) Andrew Shaver.
Marjorie Prime opens this weekend at the Segal Centre. Jordan Harrison's widely-acclaimed tale is about an octogenarian woman who gets an companion who is exactly like her deceased husband. The artificial intelligence creation, known as a prime,depicts Walter from the time when they first fell in love, raising poignant questions about memories, love and technology. I’ll be hosting the Sunday at the Segal talk this weekend. We focus on how tech is changing art and performance. Free coffee and pastries, and the chat is at 11am.
And Montrealer Alyson Grant's new play Conversion - about politics at the dinner table - wraps up this weekend at its new home in NDG, Espace Knox.
Hop on a two-wheeler and get over to the Palais des congres for The Motorcycle Show, Friday through Sunday. Check out the wild stunt shows, the kid's academy or the women-focused event She Rides on Friday night.
Pet and visit the snakes, frogs and spiders at the Reptile Expo in at the Holiday Inn in Pointe-Claire. Sunday at 9am-4pm.
Did you dance enough on February 14th? Get a redo on your day of love by coming to the Valentine's Day Slowdance at MainLine Theatre Saturday night. They bill this as "high school with a happy ending!"
Or on Friday, experience the 90s for the first, second or umpteenth time… with Don’t Stand Still at Bar Le Ritz. DJ "Zero Cool" InYourFace plays the best I pop, r & , dance and alternative. Free before 11:30pm!
Magic and mayhem in NDG! The Clavis Argentum presents The Shadow Cabinet… a behind-the-scenes burlesque show about a Svengali producer named Ragnar who tries to manipulate Moll, a newbie stage kitten. Starring: Baron Von Styck, Holis Dahlia, Matt Risk and Velma Candyass.