Touch town

When we think of a city, often a visual image of its architecture will come to mind—Paris with its Eiffel Tower, Rio’s slums and so on. The Canadian Centre for Architecture’s recently opened exhibition Sense of the City draws attention to changes in our day-to-day urban sensory experience brought about by technological and social forces, usually at the cost of diversity and nature. Public lighting facilitates security and surveillance, but eliminates the stars. Mechanical snow removal and air conditioning creates an almost weather-less environment. City sounds have moved from an indication of progress in the 19th century to a public nuisance in the ’30s, to “I can’t hear you, I’m wearing my iPod” today.

The exhibition lets you sniff bottled “scents” of garbage and rain, rub some asphalt with you hands or listen to the sound of Tokyo. (Check out www.quietamerican.org for field recordings). This exhibition makes you think about the city in a more sensual way, but doesn’t overwhelm your senses. My only question is why taste, with the global movement of food, the decrease of locally produced produce and the rise of the fast-food franchise, was left out of the picture. Runs until Sept. 10, 2006, info: 939-7000. —CHRISTINE REDFERN

She shall overcome

When Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker’s sister was born back in the ’60s, her family received a gift in celebration of the birth, but it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill pink baby gear. Instead, they scored a vinyl recording: Joan Baez in Concert, Part 2. Although unable to understand the singer’s politically-laced lyrics at the time, de Keersmaeker was so captivated by the activist’s haunting voice and melodies that the songs have stayed with her ever since.

De Keersmaeker revisits the record, using it as the soundtrack for Once, a solo she created for herself in 2002 in which she puts Baez’s version of the protest song “We Shall Overcome,” into a modern-day context to comment on society’s evolution. She’s touring the piece in North America and stopping in at Usine C (1345 Lalonde) until Nov. 19, 8 p.m. nightly. Info: 521-4493. —Marites Carino

O no!

Caitlin Murphy has a problem: her one-person show has no climax. The “O” Show, on this weekend at Théâtre Ste-Catherine (294 Ste-Catherine E.), is an autobiographical journey about a woman who has never had an orgasm. Ever.

Murphy first unveiled her secret at the 2004 Fringe in London, Ontario. “My parents only found out what it was about through reading the paper,” she says. They subsequently saw the show and loved it, as has just about everyone else. The “O” Show won Best Comedy at the London Fringe and also at the Brickenden Awards, which honour the London theatre community.

Murphy, who spent the first 13 years of her life in Montreal, recently moved back here, with her theatre company, Small Pond Productions, in tow. As a playwright, director and actor, she can be expected to make some noise on the local scene. Only she will know if she’s faking it. —Amy Barratt

Canadian Kafka

Poet and playwright Ehab Lotayef recalls his astonishment on first reading Matthew Behrens’ and Laurel Smith’s Trial, a play that weaves together excerpts from Kafka’s classic with the stories of five immigrant men in the grip of Canada’s anti-terror legislation. “The statements that are made in the novel itself are followed up by real documented statements made by the five men or by their families—and the script flows very seamlessly,” says Lotayef. “It’s really an ingenious piece of work.”

Co-presented by Teesri Duniya Theatre, in collaboration with the Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui, and directed by Lib Spry, the staged reading of Trial features a stellar line-up, including author Anita Rau Badami, theatrical talents Diana Fajrajsl, David Fennario and Carmen Ferlan, activist and trumped-up-charge magnet Jaggi Singh, and current Security Certificate detainee Adil Charkaoui. With poetry and music by Lotayef and Euphrates frontman Yassin Alsalman. Nov. 19, 8 p.m., at the F.C. Smith Auditorium (7141 Sherbrooke W). $20 suggested donation. —Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

PROBLEM SIGNAL: If the type of old lady pedestrian who cuts people off on the street or in malls were to wear novelty flashing lights behind her ear to indicate abrupt stops or changes in direction, it would be surprising and charming. If you’re just trying to be clever like the fellow pictured here—like, c’mon, guy. Indicateers™ come with a belt clip and battery included, and can be bought through www.ministryofgadgets.co.uk, for around $10.

ArtsHole

PRESS ON: Four of Montreal’s finest small presses get celebrated with wine, cheese and readings at the Atwater Library (1200 Atwater) on Friday, Nov. 18, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Expect excerpts from new works by Maya Merrick (Conundrum Press), Taien Ng-Chan (Cumulus Press), Steve Luxton (DC Books) and Mikhail Iossel (Delirium Press). • GARBAGE TO GALLERY: Remnants of wood, metal, boxes, books, old paintings and other objects that thought they were surely destined for the landfill get a new life in Mary Bogdan’s reincarnated reconstructions, to which she adds objects from her own past. The Paintings & Assemblages vernissage is today, Nov. 17, 5:30 p.m., at Galerie Sandra Goldie (1360 Greene), and continues through Nov. 26. • STILL SWINGIN’: Miss out on the martini, jazz and swing dancing revival a few years back? Yeah Baby! Productions keeps it going with their new night, Le Jazz Hot, every Thursday at Studio 88-Swing (372 Crémazie E., metro Crémazie). The dress-coded, no-smoking evenings start at 9:30 p.m. every Thursday with a free beginner swing dance lesson and keep cranking all night with live music, DJs and even a circus act or two—$10, www.lejazzhot.ca for more info.

ARTISTAT: Number of authors who will be signing their books on site at the 28th Salon du Livre de Montréal from Nov. 17–21 at Place Bonaventure (800 de la Gauchetière W.): 1450

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