What’s Going On: September 25 to October 8, 2019

Arts September 25, 2019

Until Sunday, September 29
Where to look? Dare to look?
Not sure what to do when the weekend hits? Perhaps you’re wanting something slightly different from the brain-blasting social life of the nightclubbing crowd? The gutsy and unapologetic exhibit All Eyes on You by Nicole Sleeth has taken female nudes in an entirely new direction. Which direction could that possibly be? See it and judge for yourself. The exhibit is on now, but time is ticking. You can see all the works in their glorious nakedness at Fortune Gallery, which is located at 537 Fisgard Street. This urban peep show is totally free; see fortunegallery.ca for more info. 

Until Sunday, October 13
Be childish
The theatre is a time for good manners, but seeing this play is worth a few hours of calm restraint. Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children features a couple of lifelong friends who happen to be nuclear scientists, and there is supposedly a twist of a startling nature in there somewhere… seems like a good time will be had by all. Tickets vary in price, but no matter how full or empty your wallets are, students get 50 percent off; see belfry.bc.ca for more info, and head here for our web-exclusive review of the play.

Friday, September 20 to Friday, September 27
Dare to care and walk out for the climate
This is a particularly important one—so important that I’m going to refrain from my usual joking. Greta Thunberg, the great 16-year-old activist, has put out the call for the world to join together in a global push toward climate action. This week will involve a variety of events; what will really stand out is the end of the week, where the cause calls all students to put down their books, pencils, and laptops and walk out. Camosun students, the walkout begins at 11 am on Friday, September 27 at the Lansdowne campus, with everyone meeting at the Camosun fountain by the Dawson building at 11:15. From there, everyone will go to the BC Legislature. See globalclimatestrike.net for more info.

Wednesday, September 25
Getting a visual
Is life’s predictability and shallowness getting you down? Are you feeling the need to do something good? Look no further than your own backyard—or, rather, campus. Students from Camosun’s Visual Art program will be selling their stuff in the Fisher Foyer at Lansdowne campus from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and all the proceeds go to buy school supplies for primary- and middle-school kids and their learning communities in the Masai Mara region of Kenya. The sale is cash only; email petaysb@camosun.ca for more info.

Scottish band Skerryvore are coming to the McPherson Playhouse on Saturday, October 6 (photo provided).

Thursday, September 26
Have you gone woo-woo?
This really is the coolest: The Victoria Historical Society is presenting the talk “In Search of Woo: Monkey, Muse, Mystery” by Grant Hayter-Menzies. Hayter-Menzies will be discussing the iconic Canadian artist Emily Carr and her pet monkey, Woo, using newspaper accounts and Carr’s own writings to retell the amazing relationship of Carr and Woo and how that relationship influenced Carr’s work. The doors open at 7:15 pm for refreshments and conversation, followed by a short business meeting at 7:45, followed by the speaker. The very best part is all this artist and monkey talk is free—woo-woo. The event is at the James Bay New Horizons Centre, located at 234 Menzies Street; see victoriahistoricalsociety.bc.ca for more info.

Friday, September 27
The most urban of them all
If you like art and aren’t frightened away by the disgustingly hip, Urbanite is the event for you. This party takes place in the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and features hands-on activities (hopefully with the lights on, but who knows), live music (Vancouver’s DJ AWood will be in the house), a variety of cocktails ranging in strength, and some art in between it all. The whole experience starts at 8 pm, ends at 11 pm, and tickets are $15 to $20 and are on sale at The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. See aggv.ca for more info.

Saturday, September 28
Get out to Africa
Diversity rules, and what a way to enjoy it: The Spirit of Africa Night—The Mandingo Experience features performer Adama Bilorou Dembele, who will start off the evening with some African drumming; Dembele will be followed by a DJ until 2 am. The doors open at 7:30 pm and tickets are $20. It all goes down at the Victoria Event Centre; see africafest.ca for more info.

Saturday, October 6
Get in touch with your inner Scot
If you want to break away from the Trainspotting cliché, the super solid Scottish band Skerryvore are playing at our McPherson (how appropriate) Playhouse, and they promise to shake your senses with eight talented band members playing a diverse sound with diverse instruments. They will impress you with their fiddling, their accordions, and, of course, their bagpipes. Tickets are kind of pricey at $49, but I have a feeling they are one of those bands that will leave an impression. Scot’s honour. See rmts.bc.ca for more info.