Centaur Theatre's experimental theatre showcase Wildside Festival wraps up this weekend. The 21st edition has a special emphasis on stories about women and non-binary identities. There are six boundary-pushing shows to check out, and here are two of my picks:
Find the full schedule here.
Check out live pro wrestling at Battlewar, Sunday night at Foufounes électriques. The opening invitation is Mathieu St-Jacques vs "Triple X" Sexxxy Eddy!.
Speaking of stepping into the ring.. you likely know about drag queens, men who dress and perform as women in over-the-top, fantastical outfits and makeup. Drag kings, then, are (usually) cis women who put on their best male swagger for the stage. Meet Montreal's best drag kings at The King of Kingz competition Saturday night at Cabaret Cléopatre as they strut and answer skill-testing questions to earn the title. It's hosted by the House of Laureen, a team of drag queens who host a monthly event at the Café.
On Friday at Café Cléopatre, BurlesGeek pays homage to Jean-Philippe Léo Smet, the Frenchman better known as Johnny Hallyday. The rock 'n roll star passed away in December. Dancers like Bibi Lolo Lolo Bang Bang and Cœur de Lyon will dance and sing karaoke to his hits. Local drag star Uma Gahd is MC. Friday night at Café Cléopatre, 9pm.
The 26th Ciné Gael Montreal Irish Film Series kicks off Friday night with a screening of The Journey. The recent film retells a 2006 car ride taken by two rivals in the fight for Irish nationalism: Ian Paisley, a Protestant and Northern Irish leader, and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein, a former IRA leader. Screenings in the series will continue through January and February.
And more burlesque for good measure: check out Curvy Cats VI, starring vixens like Miss Meow and Lady Muffin Stuff. Friday night at the Wiggle Room.
And at the Comedy Nest on Sunday night, CJAD's Joey Elias hosts a special spotlight on our neightbour to the West with Sunday Funday Ottawa Invasion! Comics include David Pryde, Megan Honey, Heather Hurst, Nick Burden and Heather Joy. (Pryde, Honey, Hurst, Burden and Joy - sounds like a wrestling crew!) Sunday at 8pm.
NB: the Friday night skating at Beaver Lake has been cancelled due to the weather. More like... swimming in Beaver Lake, amiright?