Wordy weekend

The word is in full effect this weekend, starting with the Wildside Spoken Word Cabaret this Saturday, part of Centaur Theatre’s second Wildside Festival. According to organizer Ian Ferrier, “This is a good place for spoken word artists to connect with the playwrights and actors in the theatre festival.” Endre Farkas is a performance poet who’s been bridging poetry and theatre for decades and at the cabaret, he’s presenting an excerpt from his latest stage production, Voices. “I Love You” is a three-voice bilingual text performed by Eric LeBoeuf, Millie Tresiera and Paul Brian Imperial. The cabaret also features stand-up wordists Corey Frost, Catherine Kidd, Paula Belina, Fortner Anderson, Victoria Stanton, Kaie Kellough and Ferrier himself. The show starts at 10:30 p.m., Jan. 12, at 453 St-François Xavier in Old Montreal. Free admission!
Sunday evening, a whole other side of the spoken word hits the stage at the Comedy Zone with the latest installment of Soul Shack. Producer Karen Stewart is bringing New Yorker Earl Majette, aka Brother Earl, up from the Nuyorican Café slam poetry scene to promote his newest CD, Poetry In Motion. “His topics range from revolutionary social commentary to love,” says Stewart. “He’s an artiste, no doubt about it.” Brother Earl is joined by Stewart’s “hometown crew,” including General Zod, Julius, singer Michelle Adams, and an open mic roster. Jan. 13 at 1740 René-Lévesque. Doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., $7 cover. :

—Vincent Tinguely