To all the republican boys:
If your girls came home with a little swing in their step Saturday night, you can be sure they came from Majlis Arts.
This week’s Figure of Speech (seven) had pinned-hair and tight-buttoned Majlis theatre hike up its hem line to become an authentic New Deal era jazz club.
Heart Break Folklore
Live and unpublished poetry by Nicholas Power set a perfect blues atmosphere with reflections on love and loss and the ‘real intimacy of a Saturday night dance’. Power’s verse was both modern and direct, stripped of all the inessential, reminiscent of Rocco De Giacomo’s Ten Thousand Miles Between Us.
St. James Infirmary
The Simple Joys were simply the cat’s pajamas, bringing to mind the work of Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli.
Drew Jurecka stunned the audience with his vocal performance, boasting a voice that made you feel like you were indulging in some guilty pleasure simply by listening.
An Eye Brow Raised Invokes A Smile
Phil Bourassa portrayed a real slick sheik, sporting a look snipped straight out of the 30’s. Saturday night, Bourassa brought to the stage his blend of improvised and passionate dance as well as dipped his toes into verse, performing a poem with Nicholas Power.
They’re All Thinkin’ I’m Their Baby
Alisha Ruiss, the brilliant, sassy bearcat, stepped up to the director’s chair for the first time for FoS seven, shaping & assembling the evening’s script all by her lonesome.
Singer, actress, songwriter, swing-dancer, Ruiss set the audience’s imagination on fire with blues and swing standards, as well as a composition inspired by New York composer Katie Thompson.
Ruiss certainly earned the centre of attention with her exceptionally funny songs and genuine baby vamp vibe. Plainly, the bright lights of the stage do not blind nor frighten this girl in the least. Keep an eye out for her performances in Toronto and New York City.
don’t rewrite old poems
you’ve already shed that skin
what do you want now
history or hysterics
no retreat no surrender
excerpt from writing on water by Nicholas Power (Gesture Press)
St. James Infirmary
The Simple Joys were simply the cat’s pajamas, bringing to mind the work of Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli.
Drew Jurecka stunned the audience with his vocal performance, boasting a voice that made you feel like you were indulging in some guilty pleasure simply by listening.
An Eye Brow Raised Invokes A Smile
Phil Bourassa portrayed a real slick sheik, sporting a look snipped straight out of the 30’s. Saturday night, Bourassa brought to the stage his blend of improvised and passionate dance as well as dipped his toes into verse, performing a poem with Nicholas Power.
They’re All Thinkin’ I’m Their Baby
Alisha Ruiss, the brilliant, sassy bearcat, stepped up to the director’s chair for the first time for FoS seven, shaping & assembling the evening’s script all by her lonesome.
Singer, actress, songwriter, swing-dancer, Ruiss set the audience’s imagination on fire with blues and swing standards, as well as a composition inspired by New York composer Katie Thompson.
Ruiss certainly earned the centre of attention with her exceptionally funny songs and genuine baby vamp vibe. Plainly, the bright lights of the stage do not blind nor frighten this girl in the least. Keep an eye out for her performances in Toronto and New York City.
...Much love to all who came out to club Majlis this weekend, and stay tasty Toronto.
1 comment:
Thanks for the spirited review of 'Get Happy', Max, it really speaks for the event and our approach as performers.
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