Editor Picks

"Some find a dear fulfillment, some denial
But this I say
That he who best
enjoys each passing day
is truly blest"

About 10pm on the Sunday night I made a complete fool of myself drunkenly thanking Fiona O’Loughlin for her inspirational set the day before. It was foolworthy due to the tremendous strength she showed to reveal her darkest dipsomania and make light from the depression that goes hand in hand with alcohol abuse – in front of a room full of people guzzling beers. Foolworthy because I was probably gushing my words and slushing white wine on myself from a plastic cup.

There’s something about Latin-American literature that combines fantasy, poetry and humanity in a way that leaps across the chasm of disbelief – this parable of passion and the sensuality of loneliness is no exception. Jose Rivera’s light-hearted, poetic script is suited to the intimate Stables Theatre, dealing as it does with matters of tenderness and lust, the personal and political intertwining of our everyday choices. Natural and expressionistic, the cast are in tune with the world of the play, they demonstrate the nuances between styles of performance that include mask, song, and dream within a poised narrative framework.

Something about watching five extremely fit 20 somethings backflip, somersault, get thrown in the air, skate board and giant hula hoop for an hour an half, can make you question your own vigour. But Montreal's Les 7 Doigts de la Main perform their show Traces with a gusto that will move the audience in a direction other than the gym.