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Cormac Rea
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Now you can't say you don't know Nicola Benedetti
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THURSDAY 11Big, bad Bill Brown's 1-2-3 Slam begins another chapter tonight at the Cajun Attic (349 Dalhousie). Canada's only continuous slam poetry event utilizing the madhouse 1-2-3 format - poets perform one-minute, two-minute and three-minute poems in successive rounds - Bill Brown's sends its champions home with Mr. Bill Brown himself. Tonight featuring the poetry of Luna Allison and the ska skills of The Living Sound System, Bill Brown is yours for the taking at 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY 12
Nicola Benedetti is a beautiful name that many outside the world of classical violinists will be unfamiliar with. Get acquainted this eve at the NAC, where Benedetti - Scottish, believe it or not - will demonstrate why she was bestowed with the BBC's Young Musician of the Year Award in 2004, at only 16 years of age! On the receiving end of accolades and major hype from every conceivable major critical source, Benedetti's truly world-beating skill is on exhibition March 11-12. Surf to www.nac-cna.ca for further info.
SATURDAY 13
Another fine arts tip - Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba returns to the NAC after their two sold-out performances here in 2008. Fusing flamenco, ballet and modern dance with Spanish and Afro-Cuban sensibilities, Lizt Alfonso has a deserved reputation for bringing rhythm and sensuality
to the fore with her productions. On offer here is something new: Elementos personifies earth, air, fire and water in 17 human forms (i.e., dancers). A one-night affair in Southam Hall, check out all the info at www.nac-cna.ca" target="_blank">www.nac-cna.ca.
SUNDAY 14
The Road to God Knows - Ottawa graphic novelist Von Allan's original graphic novel - gets a launch tonight at Perfect Books (258A Elgin St.). The Road to God Knows is all about Marie, a 13-year-old girl who obsesses over pro wrestling, while wrestling with poverty and the travails presented by her schizophrenic mother. This work can boast excellent writing and a graphic style with more emphasis on realism than creating some hypersexualized artifice. Tight stuff from one of Ottawa's hidden treasures. Book launch runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
MONDAY 15
Two Days Slow: An Alice in Wonderland Group Show opened at Canteen Gallery (238 Dalhousie) on March 4 and runs until March 28. Monday night seems like a nice, quiet opportunity to check it out, so scoot over to this exhibit at "a gallery of pure nonsense." Putting Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's latest film adaptation to shame - wouldn't be hard apparently, find the review at www.ottawaxpress.ca - Two Days Slow features a pile of local and imported artists working white rabbits, tea parties, wise caterpillars and smart-ass cats into visual phantasmagoria. Okay, I just wanted to use that word. Flip to www.canteenlife.com for more info.
TUESDAY 16
Tuesday is movie night in the Western world, so I've selected this eve to suggest your attendance at the Outaouais Film Festival. Playing at various venues across Ottawa and Gatineau, OFF boasts 97 projections from 30 different countries with a real emphasis placed on French and Canadian film, many of which are premiering in Ottawa. L'Affaire Coca-Cola is a very controversial Canadian documentary about a supposedly superlative cola drink produced by allegedly murderous, exploitive bigwig capitalists. Playing this eve at Cinema 9, L'Affaire is only one gem among many. The entire scoop is at www.offestival.com/2010.
WEDNESDAY 17
Happy to report that it's the best day of the year again, though I might be more than a little culturally biased. My suggestion is to get past the "plastic paddy" bars, at least for a minute, and take in all the genuinely Irish events taking place in the Cap for Irish Week, March 10-17. (A week! Now that's doing it right.) Everything from Irish mass, ceili dancing, civic proclamations, literary evenings, parades, film screenings and traditional music abound, so surf to www.irishsocietyncr.com for the whole shebang in the events section. My tips: tonight at Daniel O'Connell's Irish Pub (1205 Wellington), or the St. Patrick's Day Dinner Dance (314 St. Patrick St.), or the Grand Irish Party at Lansdowne Park, March 13, 12-4 p.m.
