From the cultural stereotypes in Madame Butterfly to the racism in Otello, the intersection of race and culture with opera has a dark and problematic history. Given this legacy, the East Asian setting and the specific Chinese cultural influences of Opera McGill’s production of Alcina is confusing, especially given the[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
Album Review: We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service – A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest (ATCQ) mean a lot of things to a lot of people. The group was formed in 1985 with original members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Their status as a uniquely positive, innovative force in the “Golden Age” of rap[Read More…]
Netflix announces new production of “A Series of Unfortunate Events”
Netflix recently released a preview for a new upcoming series: A Series of Unfortunate Events. Now that it’s confirmed as part of the Netflix family, the surprisingy mature children’s series seems to be coming back into the public eye. The original book series, written by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym[Read More…]
Montreal Improv’s “Dreamtime” brings your wildest dreams to the stage
There is something dreamlike about improvisational theatre. Dreams and improv both instill a feeling of surreal unpredictability, an atmosphere of colourful chaos, and a sense of blurry boundlessness. They keep you on your toes and pull you into a distinctly unique experience while breaking down the walls between reality and[Read More…]
Future funk and retro rhythm
Toronto producer Harrison—real name Harrison Robinson—is bringing a fresh sound to clubs across Canada. Harrison’s music exudes optimism while addressing some of the subtle difficulties of the experience of youth, from relationships to clubbing. His SoundCloud bio says, “Maybe it’s not so bad.” One of his singles, “It’s Okay, I[Read More…]
Book Review: “3 or 4 Years an Indian”
The introductory blurb on the back of 3 or 4 Years an Indian describes author Cindy Styles as being “a new author born by obligation.” Of all Styles’ titles—musician, healer, McGill alumna—the only one that she has ever been denied was the one she is owed: Membership to the Qalipu Mi’kmaq[Read More…]
An Iliad: A story of war and grief
How can one make a modern-day audience hang on every word of a three-thousand-year-old story? An Iliad, a one-man show directed by the McGill Classics department’s Lynn Kozak and produced by Chocolate Moose Theatre, proves that remakes of classic texts can be executed in both a skillful and entertaining way.[Read More…]
In celebration of Leonard Cohen
“Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.” Leonard Cohen’s words resonate potently in the wake of his passing last Monday at the age of 82. He was one of the great artists of the 20th century and leaves behind[Read More…]
A behind-the-scenes look at McGill on the big screen
In the climactic scene of 2008’s Get Smart, Maxwell Smart (Steve Carrell) hastily scans his surroundings, desperate to escape a holding cell, where the fictional CONTROL intelligence agency is keeping him captive. In a crucial final moment, he notices the film’s iconic red convertible, and uses the automobile to crash[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: Bob Dylan, Nobel Laureaute
By now, you probably already know that Bob Dylan’s Nobel prize win is either a triumph of lyrics as literature or the harbinger of the decline of Western civilization. Over the past few weeks, the announcement has led to an all-consuming blaze of Internet think pieces. There’s been an explosion[Read More…]
