MINISTRE DES POUBELLES (Directed by Quentin Noirfalisse) ***

Emmanuel Botalatala is the Minister of Garbage; he is also an artist who collects garbage for his own creative projects. He makes all kinds of collages from them. He teaches some teens to do  it – even his wife who has devoted her entire life to her artistic husband who seems to see everything through rose tinted glasses. He has hope for Congo and wants more than anything to be recognized by the government so that he can be assured he can pass on his art to future generations. It is a pathetic way to try to live, as artists there make nothing. (Screened at Vues d’Afrique Festival 2018)

L’ART DE LA RESISTANCE AU BURKINA FASO (Directed by Iara Lee) *****

Art in all its forms is the creative force that directly connects to the people. The message in each work of artistic creation holds the message of freedom and goodness; it is practically engraved in each work of art – be it in dance, painting, music, slam poetry and more. The forward looking movement for women is on the rise. A highly courageous people whose identity is unshakeable. They have devoted most of their energies to honouring the slain great leader, Thomas Sankara whose greatest friend, Blaise Compaore betrayed him and took over the country a ruled with a niron fist for some 24 years until the people had an insurrection of great success. In 2104, the country began its journey into freedom. Sankara has never been forgotten. He is called the Che of the country and grandfather of it. Burkina Faso is the little country that could and will achieve its goals of complete emancipation within each individual. (Screened at 2018 Vues d’Afrique Festival)

TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS WITH GEORDIE PRODUCTIONS

A WHIRLWIND TOUR DE FORCE OF MOVEMENT AND ACTING

Wow! Director, Mike Payette deserves to win his own trip around the world for masterfully getting his trio of actors to their long-distance destination! Based on Jules Verne's novel (written in1873), Geordie’s stage production of this classic story is an ingenious display of theatre at its very best! We were treated to a jaw-dropping journey of beat-the-clock time schedules that involved winning a hefty wager - it's full of herculean travel hurdles, mishaps and ominous obstacles. Great fun for the entire family! The trip was 80 days, but the production took two hours.

Three actors played over 20 different characters, differentiating them all with a prop in hand here, a hat on head there or tossed to another to wear with a coat shoved over shoulders and tons of sleight of hand to make it all happen – all the while rushing around or across the stage to conjure up the people we meet and points – or should I say – ports of entry.

I was a amazed at the cleverest use of fabricated transportation which included trains, boats, (forget the hot air balloon) – though it was frequently suggested), even an elephant whose trunk appeared out of the one of the steamer trunks on stage. Two actors climb on top of the steamer trunk and off they go. How clever is that for stage illusion? In fact, these many steamer trunks had multiple uses: sitting on them, standing on them, hiding in them, holding and concealing stage props that could be pulled out within seconds, sometimes marking the number of days passing.

Great Acting

Above all, the acting was truly magical. Along with all the characters, the frazzled trio had to play and shift into new roles within a split second. I would say that stealing the world stage of this play is Danielle Desormeaux. She created within the blink of an eye, a series of differing people – her largest role being that of Passpartout who serves his master, Phileas Fogg – the main man traveling around his world. Clearly, Ms. Desormeaux is a comic genius; I could have watched her all night. I’m surprised Stratford hasn't snatched her up. 
One of the funniest shticks was the drinking scene she did as Passpartout with Mike Hughes while he played Fix of the Yard – a detective from Scotland Yard. The timing between the two was impeccable; and the laughs from the audience were non-stop. Fix the Yard doggedly pursues Passpartout, but is always one step behind master and servant. He keeps trying to snatch the suitcase holding thousands of pounds that he thinks Mr. Phileas Fogg stole. Trying to resolve this trip of calamities is Chimwemwe Miller. He did a fine job as Fogg who always keeps his cool. Mr. Miller is utterly believable, and his voice is notably commanding – similar to that of James Earl Jones.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the actor, Mike Hughes. He needs to delve into creating more characterization with the nine characters he had to interpret. Perhaps vocal accents would have helped and exploring further facial expressions to distinguish each very different role. Although his movement is sterling rich and awesomely agile, nailing the portrayal of each of those very different characters could be sharper.

Behind the Scenes

What a team of wizards to pull all this off! They included: production manager, Amy-Suzie Bradford, Danielle Skene and Stephen Alaire. Sound director, Rob Denton  (great job); Sarah Osmond, head of props;  and Sabrina Miller, set and costume designer –  a shining star in her field.  Multi-talented lighting designer, David Perrault Ninacs wondrously captured just the right amount of shadows and all intensities in between. This effectively enhanced the myriad of moods that came with each journey point. Since each episodic moment cut swiftly into another, each needed lighting contrast, and he did this perfectly.

Take the family to this outstanding production. Reserve now by calling (514) 845-9810. Remaining tickets are for April 28^th and 29^th, but let’s hope they add another night.

Visit the website. Note the wonderful active surprise it has created for the show itself. www.geordie.ca. 

BAROQUE SPLENDOUR ALL THE WAY WITH BORIS BEGELMAN

(Bourgie Hall, April 15^th, 2 pm)

You couldn’t have ordered a better baroque concert than the one presented by Arion Baroque Orchestra this past Sunday, The generous offerings on the plate featured the exquisite musical tastes of Brescianello, Quantz, Vivaldi, Handel, Bach and Telemann. The program’s magnificent music filled us up, but we greedily hungered for more. We got it at the encore with a robust segment from  Corrette's "les sauvages" – one of his "Concertos Comiques"; he wrote 25 of them.
So perfect was the matinee performance, so breathtakingly mesmerizing was it; and above all – so rare an experience for us to behold, witness and love the virtuoso brilliance of Russian violinist, Boris Begelman – we were beautifully bewitched by it all. And he conducted too.

Particularly impressive was Mr. Begelman’s herculean ability to perform Vivaldi’s exorbitantly difficult “Concerto in D major” in which the composer pays tribute (1772) to the sacred relic of Saint Anthony of Padova’s tongue. At one point, Mr. Begelman’ s fingers played right up to his instrument’s bridge – barely leaving a hair- length of room for him to bow -  but he did just that ascending with the stroke of the bow into successive high pitched notes that rung out as a bird peeping higher and higher. He is so amazing, and what was unusual was his unaffected, almost expressionless face as he played near-impossible passages that demanded rigorous bowing, contrasting tempi, and unbridled passion within the various dynamics. He poignantly achieved them all: fortes dropping to pianissimos within seconds; lilting mellifluous melodies and majestic sturdiness, as in Bach’s “Concerto in A minor”; and the sweet lushness  we all enjoyed, tantalizingly delivered in Telemann’s “Concerto in F major for three violins”. In this work, we witnessed two great violinists who are members of Arion, stepping out front to play as “soloists”. Hats off to violinists, Chlöe Meyers and Laura Andriani. Their playing captured our attention as their instruments both lustrously and capriciously engaged with one another, and at various times played with Mr. Begelman as a trio while the orchestra often strode in boldly or enchantingly – richly enhancing this delightful Vivaldi-influenced work.

Another first violinist of note is Tanya La Perrière. She passionately produced vigorous moments of sporadic violin dialogue with Mr. Begelman.

Indeed, Arion’s own virtuosity is indisputable. From gentle harmonious adagios to allegros and prestos of such alacrity, the orchestra displayed dashing technical skills to vividly convey the expressive emotions inherent in each piece. This calibre of performance exuded a sophisticated confidence – the kind that only comes with seasoned experience and excellence. Thirty-seven years old; Arion has garnered multiple prestigious awards for specific concert recording, including the covetous Opus and Felix – and this happening alongside numerous nominations).

Finally, one must praise the duet dancing of two fast fluttering flutes played by Claire Guimond and Alexa Raine-Wright. They effortlessly brought to life Quantz’s “Concerto in D major for two flutes.” Flying fast together in all kinds of directions – taking off like playful birds, their perfect harmony tickled our imagination; the flirtatious flutes joyously jaunted – conjoined as a pair. They not only melodically skirted about one another, but they also invited the orchestra into the fun, knowing a full flourishing sound of glory strengthens the validity of lightness and whimsy.

Order your tickets for Arion’s next concert. For all information,

call (514) 355-1825. Visit the website: www.arionbaroque.com

COPPER BRANCH

A Remarkable Restaurant Opens in Westmount

Starting in Montreal, Copper Branch now has restaurants in several parts of Canada. Renown for its complete commitment to plant-based cuisine, the company creates delicious dishes that reflect its forward-looking food philosophy. Each bite is an edible treasure where tantalizing taste and nutrition are in balance. Copper Branch contributes to bettering the world through healthy eating and various well-being projects it is involved in.

The Power of Hope, Inspiration and Hard Work

Byron Ruiz had been working in operations in Copper Branch. He believed in the company so much, and was looking for yet another challenge in the company, so together, with his life partner Christine Harries, co-owners, Michelle and Lorenzo DellaForesta  and with the blessing of Rio Infantino, president of Copper Branch, they opened up their own restaurant in Westmount, Quebec. They're all proud to be a part of the Copper Branch banner. Setting up the restaurant in Westmount demanded an intense renovation of the former framing store. Christine put her architectural engineering skills into high gear, and after about six months of rigorous work and everyone pulling together, the banner on a new Copper Branch location was happily hoisted.

Giving with Immeasurable Rewards

But the couple was not motivated by money to do this; rather it was brotherly love. Byron’s brother, Carlos had been diagnosed with T cell lymphoma, but his life-long hope never wavered. It had always been a dream of his to own a Copper Branch Restaurant – ever since the company first started in 2014.

Carlos Ruiz

“It is a gift for me to now be on board in a vital way with my family and friends supporting me all the time in the restaurant. My life really stopped when I got lymphoma and now it’s restarted. It is a total blessing for me to work close up and personal with it all – overseeing many aspects to our restaurant; I really love what Copper Branch is doing to better people’s lives. I also speak about cancer as well holding the Copper Branch banner. It has given me energy and a purpose. When I started here, my eating changed; lost weight and felt far more energized. The food we serve is prepared fresh and with much care. In fact, we are a community here – all supporting one another and spreading that key ingredient: love.”

Carlos with Christine Harries

A Menu that creatively involves the Customer

It’s kind of fun, but you can actually build your own dish with the many appetizing surprises Copper Branch has behind its counter. Substitute quinoa if you like in place of brown rice. I of course was mesmerized the healthy variety of offerings, and relied on Carlos to serve my companion and myself some of his recommendations. I totally loved the spicy black bean burger. The patty was made of black beans, sunflower seeds, sweet potato, brown rice and more. Its home-made South West Sauce was so tasty.  Perfectly shaped carrot keftedes that we dipped into aїoli creamy garlic set off other flavours of turmeric, fresh mint and fennel – to mention a few goodies in this number

Colourful and Inventive: the Taste of Health in Every Dish

Copper Branch offers four fabulous burgers and so many exotically tasty dishes. Even its sandwiches hold the promise of excitement. Imagine digging into the smoked tofu and grilled vegetable sandwich or how about the shitake teriyaki sandwich. I fell in love with the shitake mushrooms on first bite of the General Copper Bowl dish.  Carlos explained that these mushrooms are first dehydrated and then rehydrated. They were scrumptious and filling. I could have ordered a whole dish of them. 

New Astoundingly scrumptious Sandwich that Sent me into Lunch Lift-off Heaven
I returned shortly after the launch of Copper Branch's latest awesome addition: The  terrifically tasty maple bacon tempeh sandwich. I gobbled it up joyfully. Over nine layered ingredients and items go into this edible masterpiece, including, smoked maple tempeh, caramelized onions, Swiss Vegan cheese, BBQ mango sauce and sweet potatoes. The sauce is extraordinarily delicious; its addictive flavour brilliantly enhances the other items in the sandwich. The tempeh itself is marinated with tofu marinate, cinnamon and turmeric. Supremely healthy, YOU MUST ORDER THIS GOD-LIKE creation. 
I capped it off with the remarkable raspberry chia pudding that pours like a sauce into every spoonful. 

Five Power Bowls are offered with a base of several choices including brown rice, quinoa and Konjka noodles. Protein choices are exotic and include Tempeh, Smoked tofu, and Shitake. Flavours seem to travel the world: Greece, Asia, Mexico and the Mediterranean mix. You’ve got to try the basil dressing. It’s creamy and incredibly addictive. In fact, everything I had here was light, yet the variety of ingredients packed into each dish created a remarkable discovery experience for me. Layered with robust portions and flavours, each number had its own colourful presentation with interesting tastes – some spicy, some subtle, but never predictable or boring.

Carlos insisted I try the incredible gluten-free brownie made with cocoa and Zucchini. I was too full, so he handed it to me in his package and told me to make sure to heat it up with coffee. It was sensational! I also tried the cashew lime cheesecake; it was interesting. By the way, Copper branch coffee is an exclusive, organic home-made blend. It is Fair Trade, Swiss filtered and of the highest quality. It’s served with coconut milk, soya or almond milk. No lactose milk here. Copper Branch is a way of life. I’m on board.  

Good news!

They cater for personal and business events.

Copper Branch is located at 5003 Sherbrooke West, at the corner of Claremont in Westmount. Call (514) 379-4616.

They’re on Face book. Look them up at Copper Branch Westmount.

JALOUSIE (Directed by David Foenkinos & Stéphane Foenkinos)*****

A great film that shows the comedic and dramatic talents of the incredibly beautiful Karin Viard who plays Nathalie, a literature professor who suffers from non-stop jealousy – over her daughter’s looks – over a suitor who happens to innocently watch the daughter pass by the dinner table one night at her mom’s home, over young women, over a new young teacher who poses a threat to her own class. Nathalie becomes vindictive and nasty. She occidentally causes an allergic reaction in her daughter who is auditioning for the ballet Opera. Nathalie is in denial about her bizarre and dangerous behaviour, yet somehow the film makes it funny. Nathalie is in need of help but it seems to come very late in her journey of jealousy. I loved this film; its message is clear: middle-aged women suffer from self-doubt and more. Let’s face it too. French women are rather gorgeous, so it must be a all the more tricky to "compete" with others who are young. (Screened at Montreal’s 2017 Cinemania Festival)

THE HIBERNATION OF TALENT

Are you one of the many who think that playing an instrument or singing (even in the shower) is not your forte – that ‘Chopsticks’ and humming the doorbell are as good as it gets for you?

As for dancing, you do it in front of the TV when Ellen DeGeneres invites you to join in -- as her sidekick.  No threat there; she can’t see you. Nor can anyone else -- once you’re inside a pitch black dance hall, crammed with crazies wired to show the world they can hip hop, samba, crunch, even belly flop right into the lap of an unsuspecting wall flower. 
You can still feel the pain when a humourless oaf known as ‘big foot’ decided you had an enticing big toe, and stepped on it. Ouch!  That pain still lingers -- even though it happened ten years ago!

Painting is far more peaceful, but you opt for the kind that comes from a gallon because painting a room is no sweat-- well maybe a little -- if the ventilation is poor. (More about your painting stint in school soon follows).

Acting is something you’ve considered. You’ll accept a role - as a rock. You’ve considered taking photography at Algonquin College, but that would mean buying a camera and umpteen lenses. 

Clearly, you’re suffering from IMOOTS (I missed out on talent syndrome). Growing up, you believed that talent was reserved for special people, given to them by God or passed on through the genes. You claim talent eluded you from the get-go - that you belong to the land of bureaucrats, business boys and bean counters,  occupations not exactly brimming with artistic zeal.

Sadly, people who perceive themselves as talentless take it as an irrevocable fact - confirmed since childhood. For example, your parents were told by your piano teacher after a year of lessons (possibly longer, depending on how greedy the teacher was) that they were wasting their hard earned money, that you had no musicality at all. Of course she left out the part about yelling at you every time you hit a wrong note. So your parents informed you in a rather blunt manner: “No more piano lessons; your teacher says you have no talent.” Being a trusting child, you believed them.

Dancing lessons were out for you since your older sister already had that one wrapped up in her pretty pink toe shoes tutu and leotard. 
 But wait! None of your siblings had tackled theatre; things were looking up, until the first time you walked out on stage and broke out in a nervous rash.

Painting percolated in your mind intermittently, but you were young and had no idea what to paint; your mind drew a blank. Thank God for grade one art class. At least they gave you some paints, and they told you what to draw, such as a dog, cat, house or the person sitting next to you.  But let’s be honest: the lesson was really about how to tidy up after you finished your finger painting.  During one nifty brush painting class in grade five, you recall the teacher coming around, complimenting you on the dog you had just painted. Without warning, her happy smile quickly turned into tight-lipped anger when you told her (without meaning any harm) that the ‘dog’ was actually her face, and that the ‘snout’ was her nose!

In my grade seven class at Broadview Avenue Public School, we were making clay ashtrays, putting them into the kiln after we had painted them. The teacher selected mine to show the class. I was beaming. She then announced with great drama in her voice:  “This is how not to make an ashtray.  I was crushed and swore off art forever.

But, life doesn't do ‘never’. Twenty years after the ashtray trauma, I discovered talent is a trickster, and that the past can be your invisible stalker - if you let it. You can be five years old or fifty when talent pops out. Surprise!

Since those infamous days, I have made a series of handmade wooden books, shaped as trees, snowflakes and the sun. I dared to illustrate them myself, even ink in my poetry.  All 200 of them were sold – the first one having been purchased by the curator of Queens University -- to my utter astonishment. The point is, no one told me to make such things or not to. Their creative entry into this world was born from an intense desire to express my love of nature in a tangible manner.  

My desire to create an educational board game all about colour and our universe resulted in my creation of a colour wheel forming the tail of ‘Professor Peacock’. Kids landed on colour squares, picked up a matching colour card and tried to answer the question on the card. This game, titled ‘The Colour Jungle” demanded months to create; it was a labour of love. I somehow had to get that idea realized, and thus the game (never marketed) was born.

Eric Hoffer, the great twentieth century philosopher, wrote: “We are told that talent creates its own opportunities, but it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents.”  So, a passion to express is the prime provenance of talent.

All of us have talent; what you do about it is key – how do you respond to it? Are you a nay-sayer or a yeah-sayer? Luckily, as adults, we are free to explore the myriad of talents hibernating inside us.

I never predicted I would take up the banjo at the age of 49!  Making three banjo CDs certainly came as a shock to me and everyone who knew me as a piano gal.  Talent is an unpredictable visitor. It’s never too late to explore your ‘heart ideas’ through an art. Don’t give up when talent turns from exhilaration to exasperation.

Gustave Flaubert said: “Talent is a long patience; originality is an effort of will and intense observation.” Many of us give up. I did several times, but I always returned to the task at hand, and each time I did, I realized talent never leaves you. You leave it. Life gets in the way; you get tired.  Stanislavski, the pioneer of method acting used to tell his students: “inspiration is a minute part of talent; the rest is perspiration.”

I can recall practising a really difficult bar of a Bach fugue. I realized I would never get it right. I could rip up the page, bang endlessly on the ivories, or walk away and wait until the desire to express that piece in its entirety returned, and if it didn’t, so be it. I waited 5 months to revisit that bar; I deeply wanted to play that piece, and now I do. Desire gave me the will to overcome the technical challenges. You see, it was not miraculous god-given talent that enabled me to master (to some degree) that piece of music. It was motivation, a state of mind and the desire to express it. Goethe said it best: “Talent finds its happiness in execution.”

Ross Schorer, a former student of Arthur Lismer (Group of Seven), now a highly sought-after art teacher believes everyone is an artist, but self doubt gets in the way. “Many people are afraid of expressing their talent; they risk rejection. It starts as a kid: a family member dismisses the painting you just showed. I know everyone has talent; it can be coaxed out any time. My job is to bring it out of burial. Once this talent is freed, the individual can paint.”

Talent ‘talks’ to you. Release it from hibernation.