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What the Butler Saw

Weekend Roundup, August 27 to 29

This last August weekend is jam-packed with activities—make it count!

Friday: See the Rom Shing Hakka Opera at Telus TaiwanFest

Friday, August 27
Canada’s largest fair continues! The Canadian National Exhibition has something for everyone, including rides and games, a working farm, daily parades, celebrity chef demonstrations, live concerts and entertainment, and so much more. See you at The Ex!

Exploring the concept of the “crossover,” this year’s Telus TaiwanFest offers a number of cultural events—both traditional and contemporary—related to the intermingling of Taiwanese, Canadian, Dutch, Japanese and indigenous cultures. Harbourfront Centre is home to this weekend-long festival, featuring dance, theater, fashion, food and live music. Tonight, witness a performance by the Rom Shing Hakka Opera Troupe.

Scotiabank Buskerfest takes over the streets of the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood beginning tonight! Some of the world’s most talented street performers, including members of the renowned Cirque Éloize, are on hand to show off their unique skills. A donation to the Epilepsy Toronto charitable organization is encouraged.

Saturday: Laugh with Graham Harley and the cast of What the Butler Saw (photo by Sian Richards).

Saturday, August 28
Attention all comic book enthusiasts, sci-fi aficionados and anime experts: Fan Expo Canada has arrived. The largest event of its kind in the country features top names in geekdom, plus vendors, panel discussions and more. Don’t miss the Masquerade on Saturday morning, when die-hard fans show off original costumes of their favourite characters!

Enjoy a theatrical night out with a performance of What the Butler Saw, an inappropriately hilarious play on now at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. The witty farce is set in a psychiatrist’s office and is certain to keep the audience guessing which characters are the sane ones.

Cheer on “The Reds” this evening, as Toronto FC squares off against Real Salt Lake, one of Major League Soccer’s top teams. Can Dwayne DeRosario and company sneak into the playoffs with a win tonight? Head to BMO Field to find out!

Sunday: Sunnyside Pavilion hosts an art fair (photo by Imnop88a)

Sunday, August 29
Against all odds, ’90s grunge stalwarts Stone Temple Pilots are back with their first original album in a decade. The Scott Weiland-led rockers are set to riff on their newest tunes and popular classics at the Air Canada Centre.

Yonge and Dundas Square turns green this weekend. The Live Green Toronto Festival brings together more than 100 exhibitors featuring eco-friendly products and services, as well as live music, street performers, a farmer’s market and more.

The Sunnyside Beach Juried Art Show & Sale returns for another year of fine visuals. Hosted within the historic Sunnyside Pavillion on the shores of Lake Ontario, the event features artworks in various media created by emerging artists. Cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award to give your favourite artist the chance to win a cash prize.

Hot Date: Sight to See

AUGUST 25 TO SEPTEMBER 18 Sexual indiscretion and societal norms clash in playwright Joe Orton’s raucous farce, What the Butler Saw. Chaos, indecency and wit underlie this Soulpepper Theatre Company production about a psychiatrist who attempts to seduce his fetching secretary when his wife—who is also being wooed and blackmailed, by a handsome suitor—walks in. Throw in a government inspector and hijinx explodes at the clinic. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Monday to Saturday 7:30 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday 1:30 p.m., $39.81 to $75.33; call 416-866-8666 or navigate here to reserve.

Weekend Roundup, August 20 to 22

The Canadian National Exhibition opens this weekend, but it’s hardly the only game in town. There’s plenty of entertainment for everyone!

Friday: Be touched by the timeless musical, South Pacific

Friday, August 20
Get a major dose of theatre tonight at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, which offers three highly anticipated plays on its various stages. The main event is the debut of Window on Toronto, in which artists from Soulpepper Theatre Company’s academy examine the city from the perspective of a hot-dog vendor. The evening also offers preview performances of Joe Orton’s bold and witty What the Butler Saw, as well as Sharon Pollock’s award-winning drama, Doc.

The play’s the thing at the Four Seasons Centre, too! Take your loved ones to witness a triumphant re-staging of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. The heart-rending musical romance has received glowing reviews from Toronto critics and audiences.

Head to the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre to see a Canadian folk-rock institution, as ebullient East Coast band Great Big Sea is in concert tonight. Get to the venue early for a real treat: emerging all-female country group Ladies of the Canyon opens the show.

Celebrate Cuba with the third annual Havana Cultura festival, which showcases that country’s music, arts and food all weekend long. Tonight, hear popular Cuban musician Julio Cuza, see a cigar-rolling demonstration, and much more.

Saturday: Enjoy the midway rides and more at The Ex (photo by Scooter Korek)

Saturday, August 21
Let’s go to The Ex! What better way to spend your afternoon than at the  Canadian National Exhibition. Saturday brings many events: the warrior’s day parade; the popular veterans parade, a sculpting competition and much more! There are plenty of rides, shows, vendors, concerts and circus-style performances, too!

Catch Bieber Fever at the Air Canada Centre, as Canadian-born teen-pop king  Justin Bieber performs his hits and drives the girls crazy. The mop-topped Bieber arrives with special guest Sean Kingston in tow—he shares vocals on their chart-topping hit “Eenie Meenie.”

Indulge in authentic Ontario craft beers and an exclusive seven-course meal at Beer Bistro, which hosts the annual Golden Tap Awards dinner. Craft breweries from across the province are featured along with cuisine that complements the different beers. The prize for best tasting brew will be presented at evening’s end.

Groove to the music mix at Kensington Market hot spot Supermarket during its Do Right Saturdays event. DJs Fase, John Kong and MC Abdominal are set to bust out catchy funk, soul and hip-hop tunes that will keep you dancing through the night.

Sunday: Tuck into dumpling noodle soup and more at Harbourfront Centre

Sunday, August 22
Cool off at Ontario Place today! Not only does the park’s Froster Soak City offer numerous waterslides, but the Extreme Wake Series has arrived to present daredevil stunts performed by top wakeboarders. The-dropping spectacle is fun for all ages.

Reenergize with delicious Asian-flavoured fare at Harbourfront Centre’s Fortune Cooking Food Festival. Here, numerous vendors and local restaurants offer up their best apps, mains, desserts and drinks for your gustatory pleasure. As with all of Harbourfront’s World Routes events, there are also cultural performances to keep you entertained.

Put on your dancing shoes and swing your way to Mel Lastman Square in north Toronto. The weekly Sunday Serenades Concert and Dance Series offers visitors the chance to learn some unique dance steps and hear some great live jazz.