Icy sidewalks (can we talk about the city’s war on pedestrians), subzero weather, storm warnings & even the Grammies didn’t keep people away from the February Noir. I’ve seen bigger houses for the show but regardless of size of the audience the talent on stage is always large.
After a round of dynamic open stagers – Philip Cairns (missing Anita Ekberg), Tracy Hamilton (romantic memory), myself (bitter/sweet romantic memories), Josh Goldstein (fast flow fever dreamer) – David Bateman gave us a fine set from his recent books, & also a lesson that being published isn’t the road to riches.
His monologue on the death of a lover starts ‘am I ready to write about you/two decades later’ – there is no time limit to grief – ‘you and someone like you dying inside me.’ The set was sprinkled with haiku ‘if there’s a kind of hush/all over the world/why can’t you shut up.’
A brief intermission was followed by Toronto’s Unexpected Bite: Regina Dentata as she explores the various forms of burlesque. To a great 007 theme remix she was captivating in an emerald green glitter gown that would have been perfect for the Grammies red carpet. Slinking through the audiences she drew a few lucky guys into her routine, doing a glove peel around the neck of one man (he may never wash that neck again:-) ). A sweet reveal and some dangerous derriere tease that made twerking look tame.
Special guest Dan Curtis Thompson took to the stage, indulging in banter with Regina as she changed behind the backstage curtain: ‘it’s not sex if it’s your brother.’ He did funny, romantic story telling (as opposed to stand-up) structured around irrational fears – balloons & falling in love – both of which are unavoidable – the need to tell someone you love them becomes literally like a balloon filling and about to burst.
By now the hands on the clock were pushing past 10 & it was time for me to head for home (thirty minutes via TTC) so I missed the bulk of Shikha Sehgal’s set – what I heard was, not surprisingly, excellent. Next month is Lizzie Violet’s Cabaret Noir’s 100th anniversary show – get there early if you expect a decent seat. https://www.facebook.com/events/871522222908961/
besides ‘a crown of #kisses’ http://wp.me/p1RtxU-13E I read
Debt
you
you owe me sixteen dollars
for that time
you forgot your wallet again
when you were taking me out to lunch –
you owe me for all those boring
comic Jim Carey movies
I had to see to keep you happy
while you refused to see anything
that I might have actually enjoyed –
you owe for the times
I’ve skipped seeing my friends
so I could be with you –
seeing lousy movies
you owe me
for never skipping your friends
to be with me –
you owe me for
never telling me that you loved me –
you owe me for the three weeks
I had the crabs
and had to wash every sheet in my house
and then had to wash all your sheets
you owe me
for the time I spent sorting your laundry
and folding it
and putting away
while you were too sick to do anything –
you owe me for the two trips to Montreal,
for the week-end in Niagara Falls –
you owe me for the the cd’s I lent
you to get burned
but which vaporized somewhere along the line –
you owe me for the computer virus
you though was so cute
but which ate not only my hard drive
but also my cat
and the house plant you bought me –
you owe me for the times you got off and I didn’t –
you owe me for the the five bounced checks –
you owe me for taking me for granted –
you owe me
for the free rental of my thoughts
and worries
when I could have been worrying
about things
that deserved my worry –
like the holes in the ozone
you made with oven cleaner –
you owe me for the starving children
in wherever the hell they are
because you made me look a that commercial
and send them money
and now I get photos
of even sicker kids every week –
you owe me
you owe me
for the broken ankle you got
falling down the stairs drunk –
you owe me for death of your parents –
you owe me for the bad season of the Walking Dead –
you me for updating your FB status
to ‘in a relationship’
and five minutes later
when you were supposed to be taking a shower
I saw you on Grindr
looking for NSA
you owe me for
the shitty attitude that waiters give me
when I go out to lunch on my own –
you owe me for the now lumpy mattress
I have to sleep on –
you owe me
for the time I found out
that you weren’t even human –
you don’t remember that do you –
well I do and you owe me for that
you inhuman prick –
you owe me big time
and will always owe me big time
and now it’s payback time
so get our your wallet
I mean cash
no more bounced checks
March 7 -Saturday – attending – 2015 Toronto SpecFic Colloquium – Round Venue, 152A Augusta Ave., Toronto
http://chiseries.ticketleap.com
April 26 – Sunday – 2-5 – Featuring – The Secret Handshake Gallery – 170 Baldwin Ave., 2nd floor, Toronto.
June 5-7 – attending – Capturing Fire – Washington DC
http://www.thedccenter.org/capturingfire/
(2015 registration posted but details not posted yet. I’ve registered already 🙂 )
June 21-26 – attending – Rosemary Aubert’s Workshop – Loyalist – Belleville
Loyalist Workshop is the real deal
(further info & links: TBA)
September 3-6 – attending – Fan Expo
October 18, Sunday – feature: Cabaret Noir: Deep Burlesque Hallowe’en
Like my pictures? I post lots on Tumblr
Reblogged this on and commented:
Another amazing review from TOPoet.ca.
Reblogged this on life with more cowbell and commented:
Thanks to Duncan Armstrong for his words about his Sunday night out at Lizzie Violet’s Cabaret Noir – the hot February edition, which I missed.