Photographer Evergon is the curator of Young Fiction, an exhibition of work by Marisa Portolese, Carlos and Jason Sanchez and Melanie Shatzky. Although all attended Con U, the three photographic series exhibited at Galerie Trois-Points (372 Ste-Catherine W., #520) are individual in their approach. Portolese shows portraits of women that highlight their sexuality, ranging from predictable shots of various women showing garters, bathing suits, tits and feathers to a less clichéd presentation of sensuality in the hairy legged photograph “Marisa”.

The Sanchez brothers, meanwhile, present highly staged photographs meant to reflect the fertile imagination of young children. Wonderfully executed with eye-catching detail, they are corny Harry Potterish pictures kids would love.

Shatzky’s work is crowded together in the small gallery space. The claustrophobic setting, combined with the institutional colours and the photo of a woman dressed in white sporting a fake mustache, successfully gave me the feeling of being in a nuthouse. Runs until Dec. 21, 866-1288 for info. : » Christine Redfern

With Out of the Shadows: Mouvement Phénomène, artistic-director Kelly Jean Starship is trying to take the stiff out of dance performances. “I wanted to make it more comfortable for people who wouldn’t normally go into a dance-theatre space,” she explains.

And how does she do this? First, take the venue - the SAT (305 Ste-Catherine W.) - not your traditional dance space. And secondly, this show is nothing like your run-of-the-mill performance where the audience sits rigidly in their seats. Starship creates a club-like atmosphere in which dancers Tonja Livingston, Victor Quijada, Miko Sobreira, George Stamos and Iroquoian dancer Flint Eagle, along with trapeze artist Ruby Rowat, strut their stuff. To keep it upbeat and extra loose, Starship hopes the performers inspire people to groove in between acts to music courtesy of DJ Poontz, DJ Mana, DJ Bliss and Alain Vinet. Shake away those winter blues on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 11 p.m., 844-2033 to reserve. : » Marites Carino

Many will agree that mall-induced vertigo is 10 times worse than the fiercest of rum ’n’ eggnog hangovers. Worry not though, nestled into a cozy little space on corner of Roy and Coloniale is art ensemble Roy Street Collective’s annual Christmas Sale. The 20 or so artists’ wares range from metal bugs to photos, T-shirts and furniture, from 10 bucks upward. “Forget corporate greed,” says member Louise Markus. “Come in, hang out, support the community - you can be a fairy godmother.” The store is open from noon–6 p.m. every day except Thursday and Friday, open until 9 p.m. (111 Roy E.), until Dec. 24. : » Matthew Woodley

When Grimey Windows producer and host Mark Paterson conceived of Oh the Shame! a night devoted to bad, embarrassing works of art, he was surprised at how quickly 10 writers and comedians (and one wrestler) volunteered to wallow. Just For Laughs vet David Pryde will re-create his first ever attempt at stand-up, by all accounts a painful bomb. Poet Larissa Andrusyshyn will share work that is just too disgracefully bad ever to publish. But Paterson’s own contribution will be hard to top. When he was 24 years old, he claimed to be seven in order to have his review of Chenoy’s deli chain published in the Gazette’s “Fridge Door” children’s page. “I’m ashamed in a good way,” says Paterson. “There were many outlets, and every single Chenoy’s restaurant got that entire page laminated and displayed.” Dec. 16, 8 p.m., at Hurley’s Irish Pub, (1225 Crescent, 2nd floor), free. : » Vincent Tinguely

AABBA gold: “To poetry’s elitist clique/The limerick’s not very chic/But it flaunts its behind/As it struggles to find/Home truths through its technique comique.” This anapaestic rhyme comes from Westmounter Harry Mayerovitch, author of Limericks for Hereticks. Mayerovitch, who has a career as an architect and stint as art director for the Wartime Info Board (1939–45) under his belt, has written and illustrated nine similar books, and three more are in the works. “It keeps me out of the pool rooms,” he quips. “Now do you want to hear about my sex life?” Ummm… the book is available at Paragraph (2220 McGill College) and the Double Hook (1235A Greene). : » Matthew Woodley

Furniture funk: Julia Asimakopulos’s Resin, contemporary art/furniture fusion, made with odd materials and fragments such as rust, ashes and old photos, shows alongside her polyester resin sculptures at the Salon des métiers d’art (800 de la Gauchetière W.) until Dec. 22. • Stage shots: Carla B. Guttman’s theatre-themed photos show in her exhibit, Requiem, at Galerie TM (460 Ste-Catherine W., #300). • To the extreme: Popular spoken word cabaret Extreme Innocence is back for a holiday explosion in its new digs, the Petit Campus (57 Prince-Arthur E.), this Sunday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m., $10, 830-2389 for info. • Learn to love: Black Theatre Workshop’s excellent production of Andrew Moodie’s A Common Man’s Guide to Loving Women has been held over for an extra weekend. Remaining shows are tonight, Dec. 12, through Saturday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at the MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance), 932-1104. :

Artistat: Number of tables added to the booming Rusty Plum Gift Sale as they take over a second space next door to the first one (5454 St-Laurent), Dec. 14–15 and 21–22, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. : 11 :

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