Find horror and hilarity with clowns, Mump & Smoot. Photo by Gary Mulcahey
It’s hard to describe Canadian clowns Mump & Smoot. In their shows, they inhabit a parallel universe called Ummo and speak Ummonian gibberish. Sound strange? Maybe, but it’s also hysterical, with sketches running the gamut from outrageous to macabre, all decidedly not for children. Catch this imaginative duo May 22 to Jun. 2 at the Cultch.—Sheri Radford
Beauty and the Beast plays a five-show engagement May 24-26. Photo: Joan Marcus
May 9: Acclaimed roots singer/songwriter David Myles, fresh off a collaboration with rapper Classified, plays the Dalhousie Arts Centre.
May 10: Steve Patterson, host of The Debaters on CBC Radio brings his This is Not Debatable tour to Halifax.
May 12: The Saint Cecilia Concert Series wraps up another season of celebrating classical music with a matinee concert at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts on Chebucto Road. Musician-in-Residence and cellist extraordinaire Shimon Walt performs, joined by his colleagues in the Rhapsody Quintet. Their varied repetoire includes a show-stopping rendition of the rock standard “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
May 15: One of the godfathers of outlaw country, Merle Haggard is enjoying a renaissance of late, releasing a string of critically acclaimed songs. He performs at the Halifax Metro Centre.
May 17 to 19: Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Blue Nose Marathon has plenty for both experienced runners and newcomers to the sport, including a youth run, a 5K and a 10K. The full marathon begins at the Old Town Clock on Sackville Street on May 19. It runs past Halifax Citadel, through the North End, back through the downtown along Barrington and Hollis streets, around Point Pleasant Park and back up to the Clock.
May 24 to 26: The classic Disney fairy tale Beauty and the Beast comes to life, as the touring version of the Broadway production plays a five-show engagement at the Halifax Metro Centre on Duke Street. Young fans will love the opulent costumes, detailed sets and familiar music.
Editor’s Choice
May 27 to June 9: The Scotia Festival of Music, Atlantic Canada’s largest annual celebration of chamber music, returns with a roster that reads like a who’s-who of chamber-music scene, including conductor Kenneth Woods, pianist Lynn Stodola, violinist Robert Uchida, cellist Denise Djokic, trumpeter Richard Simoneau, Composer-in-Residence Tim Brady and many more.
APRIL 8-14 Renowned comics from all over North America and beyond will bring their best material to various venues throughout the city during The Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Evening galas will feature kings and queens of comedy such as up-and-comer Rob Pue and stand-up star Debra DiGiovanni (pictured), while festival favourite The Debaters sees funnypeople face off on a variety of topical subjects. Call 1-855-985-5000 for tickets.
Get your Canadian comedy fix with Jeremy Hotz
Hankering for some Canadian comedy? Jeremy Hotz is spreading his unique brand of mirthful misery across the country on his 21-city Magical Misery Tour. See the Canadian comedian’s seemingly befuddled but actually very clever stand-up act Mar. 22 at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts, and be prepared to laugh until you cry.—Sheri Radford
Harlem Globetrotters are in town Feb. 14 to 15
Attention, basketball fans: this Valentine’s Day, bring your sweetie to see the Harlem Globetrotters in action. For almost a century, this innovative team has been combining athletic skill with over-the-top comedy, resulting in sports theatre for the whole family. Catch the Globetrotters at Rogers Arena (Feb. 14) or the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre (Feb. 15).—Sheri Radford
Tom Green
Tom Green is no stranger to Vancouver, having filmed Freddy Got Fingered and Bob the Butler here, so he’s looking forward to spending a few days in the city this winter and perhaps snowboarding in Whistler. “It’s going to be a party!” he says by phone from his home in LA—a place he rarely sees, ever since embarking on an “ongoing and never-ending tour” a few years ago. The tour has taken him all over Canada and the US and to countries as far flung as Australia and Afghanistan. “It’s not officially a tour anymore,” he says with a laugh, “but I love it.”
While growing up, Green moved around a lot, thanks to his father’s job in the Canadian military. Green was the class clown, a hyper kid who “didn’t want to have to get a real job.” Watching funny Canadian folks such as Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, John Candy and Dan Aykroyd, he realized “wow, you can make a living acting silly and goofy.” Though he became known for over-the-top antics such as drinking milk directly from a cow’s teat, Green’s comedy has matured and his stand-up act now comments on “the absurdity of the world we’re living in.” He hopes to “open up the audience’s mind a little bit.”
Catch his act at Yuk Yuk’s (Jan. 24 to 26), look for his guest appearances on the TV show Seed and the upcoming Trailer Park Boys movie, and check out his YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/tomgreen.—Sheri Radford
En Vogue Performs December 28th at Casino Nova Scotia
December 2: Nova Scotian rockers The Trews are back in the Maritimes with their hard-drivin’ sound, for what’s sure to be a raucous show at the Dalhousie Arts Centre.
December 14 to 22: Back for its 59th year, the Student, Staff, Faculty and Alumni Exhibition at the Dalhousie Art Gallery features works by members of the Dalhousie University community.
December 14: Comedian Greg Morton headlines the Halifax Comedy Fest’s Christmas-themed show HA! HA! HALIDAY at Casino Nova Scotia
December 14, 29: The city’s hometown hockey heroes, the Halifax Mooseheads, are a major-junior team featuring many up-and-coming stars, competing in the same league where superstar Sidney Crosby got his start. The Halifax Metro Centre on Duke Street hosts games throughout the season. On December 14, the Mooseheads take on Acadie-Bathurst in their final game before the holiday break, returning on December 29 to play cross-province rivals Cape Breton.
December 28: Acclaimed R&B act En Vogue has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group. They perform at Casino Nova Scotia.
Gerry Dee returns to Halifax November 23rd.
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November 23: Halifax teacher-cum-comedian Gerry Dee, gaining national fame for his CBC series Mr. D, brings his Life After Teaching tour back to his hometown, performing at the Dalhousie Arts Centre on University Avenue.
November 10: Young Parisian guitarist Thibault Cauvin performs French Stylings in the Saint Cecilia Concert Series. His repertoire ranges from Scarlatti to contemporary composers.
November 10: One of the National Basketball League of Canada’s founding teams, the Halifax Rainmen return for another season of minor-pro hoops. The season begins with a visit from the Saint John Mill Rats. The Halifax Metro Centre on Duke Street hosts.
November 15: Popular Halifax rocker Matt Mays returns to his old stomping grounds, performing with The Meds at the Halifax Forum Multi-Purpose Centre.
November 17 to 18: Acclaimed jazz guitarist Jesse Cook brings the Blue Guitar Sessions to the Dalhousie Arts Centre on University Avenue.
November 23 to 24: Television personalities Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs) and Andy Whyment (Kirk Sutherland) from the long-running British TV series Coronation Street appear live at Spatz Theatre.
November 30, December 1: Cape Breton singer/songwriter Jimmy Rankin joins Symphony Nova Scotia at the Dalhousie Arts Centre.
André-Philippe Gagnon
One man plus hundreds of voices equals one unforgettable evening. Quebec-born impressionist André-Philippe Gagnon, best known for his pitch-perfect imitations of all the singers in “We Are the World,” has a repertoire that roams from Elvis Presley and Barry White to Justin Timberlake and Susan Boyle. He brings his unique brand of music and comedy to The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts (Nov. 8).—Sheri Radford
Christopher Gaze, of Bard on the Beach fame, was a guest at Vancouver Theatresports League’s newest show. Photo by Peter Williams
By Louise Phillips
The title of this newest TheatreSports show refers of course to that cheery schoolyard taunt, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.” Pants on Fire, at the Improv Centre to Nov. 17, is a lot smarter than kindergarten thugs, and packs a lot more laughs.
TheatreSports is so-called because it applies competitive rules of play to stage improvisations. Pants on Fire is semi-structured to avoid the kind of embarrassing moments that can result from free-for-all improv; and the players, drawn from a team of trained pros, are major-league.
Read on for more about Theatresports’ new show Pants on Fire »
Comedian John Pinette is hungry for laughs
Get ready to bust a gut as comedian John Pinette takes the stage on his Just for Laughs tour. This funny guy has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand with his self-deprecating humour, but his resumé is no laughing matter: he’s toured with Frank Sinatra, performed on Broadway as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray and had a special on Comedy Central. Catch him at The Centre (Oct. 26).—Jennifer Patterson
*Note: This is a rescheduled show. Tickets purchased for the Apr. 14 cancelled show will be honoured.
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