Entertainment events as
October heads into November

A vengeful redhead, a “yiddle with a fiddle” and a medical doctor turned political satirist among the offerings

By Byron Toben

The days tumble on, like falling leaves, as we head toward November. Lots of good stuff to see or visit.

October 22 to 31

Montreal Intercultural Storytelling Festival
This is the 16th edition of the biennial festival, one of the largest in the world with 50 artists in 45 events. The artists are from Quebec, Canada, First Nations and elsewhere in the world. Among the highlights are two short films by NDG filmmaker G. Scott MacLeod that will be shown at the Cinémathèque Québécoise dealing with early Irish and Scottish migrants to Quebec.

This [Montreal Intercultural Storytelling Festival] is the 16th edition of the biennial festival, one of the largest in the world with 50 artists in 45 events.

These are narrated by Irish storyteller Mike Burns who spun his traditional tales monthly at Hurley’s Irish Pub in Montreal alongside a fireplace. I was a frequent listener at those events and even arranged for him to appear at one of the Montreal Fringes in the 1990s at McGill.

festival-conte.qc.ca

October 23 and 24

Leni Parker – Image: Glen Talent

The Hudson Village Theatre presents the incredible Leni Parker in The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead. This play by Robert Hewett and directed by Dean Patrick Fleming is a mystery/comedy in which multi-award-winning Ms. Parker plays seven different roles and wears three different wigs.

It ran live from October 13 through October 22, including several sell-outs. Only two live performances remain on Saturday, October 23 at 2 pm and again at 7 pm for $30 or $39 (plus tax) depending on age. However, a special filmed version will be available from Saturday, October 23 at noon until Sunday, October 24 at 11:45 pm for $20 plus tax.

villagetheatre.ca

October 24 to November 14

The Segal Centre remounts the Hudson Village Theatre production of Every Brilliant Thing. Live theatre returns with this audience-friendly play that was interrupted during the COVID disruption, remounted at the Village Theatre out in Hudson and now returns to the Segal Centre studio space, again with likeable Daniel Brochu in charge on stage.

segalcentre.org

Daniel Brochu in Every Brilliant Thing – Image: Leslie Schachter

October 25

At 7:30 pm, New York’s Red Bull Theater presents a streamed benefit reading of Shakespeare’s Pericles. Earlier events of this on October 11 and 18 were discussions about the play. This free event is the actual play itself.

redbulltheater.com/pericles-reading

October 28

At 1:30 pm, the Cummings Centre features film publicist and historian David Novek who held a dynamic lecture with many clips on October 14 about Sammy Davis Jr. and now turns his attention to early Jewish American films with Yiddle with a Fiddle on Zoom. $10 for Cummings Centre Members. A 6-month membership for $25 is well worth it as it includes many reduced rate or free events.

cummingscentre.org 

October 29 to November 12

Take a look at Montreal’s diversified population with the 22nd incarnation of the Festival du Monde Arabe de Montreal. The program is divided into four sections: performing arts (15 items); culture fair (12 Items); aleph (9 musical items); and cinema (5 Items). Venues range from the Place Des Art to La Sala Rosa and others between in size. Countries of origin are myriad.

‘… Bassem Youssef, originally from Egypt now the USA, a medical doctor turned political satirist inspired by Jon Stewart of the Late Show. I saw Bassem once at McGill a few years ago and enjoyed the experience.’

I plead guilty to not being familiar with any of the performers save one – namely Bassem Youssef, originally from Egypt now the USA, a medical doctor turned political satirist inspired by Jon Stewart of the Late Show. I saw Bassem once at McGill a few years ago and enjoyed the experience. He appears on October 30 in two shows at the Théâtre National in Montreal’s east end. The first show is already sold out and the second was added as an extra.

The massive festival program can be filtered by country or performer.

festivalarabe.com

Feature image: Bassem Youssef, Roxanne Makasdjian and Phil Ebiner for the University of California, Berkeley, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

More articles from Byron Toben

Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.