Murder at the
mental house

With their weekly shows at now-defunct-dive Jailhouse a couple years ago, the Dead Dolls Cabaret of Horror set live entertainment standards to new lows in Montreal. The shock-and-awe cast fired out racial slurs, religious sacrilege and retard jokes left and right in an unholy communion of cutting humour and honest self-exploration. After a year-and-a-half hiatus - largely revolving around founder Alison Rockbrand's journey to southern India to study classical dance-drama Kathakali - the Dolls are off the shelf again with a night at Alizé. "It's almost entirely new," says Rockbrand. "The Retarded Family Circus is still around, but the cast is mostly new and the story is more structured." The new show is "kind of like Marat/Sade," as Rockbrand puts it, a scenario set in a mental hospital, here with doctor as emcee. "Each actor was asked to create a character, all murderous," she explains, "and the doctor uses the patients to explore progressive therapy." The blood comes out, no doubt, when the patients re-enact their deadly pasts as part of their treatment. As per tradition, the Dolls encourage audience participation from the aroused and offended alike, and are offering a price reduction for people who come in costume as impetus - $6 with, $10 without. The show, presented by Travesty Theatre, goes on twice at Alizé (900 Ontario E.), on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. and midnight. » Matthew Woodley

Discovering the pelvis

Although choreographer/dancer Nika Stein says she feels vulnerable when she's naked, it doesn't stop her from performing in the buff. "In general, I'm interested in working with nudity," explains Stein. "It's not easy, but it's a state I'm interested in [portraying]." Nudity plays a pivotal part in Stein's first solo show, The Choreography Which Leads to Satisfaction. After five years of developing material, the Concordia dance graduate uses changing sounds and costumes to explore a range of emotions from fear and anger to a pleasurable state she calls "the discovery of the pelvis." The show takes place on Dec. 6, 8 p.m., in a converted space formerly used for hay storage above an old wooden stable. Though the "revealing" theme runs deep in the choreography, organizers don't want to disclose the exact address in advance. Leave a message at 898-6452 and they'll call you back. » Marites Carino

Kids these days

'Tis the season for Group of n presents. Luckily that's about all the Christmas cliché you'll get surrounding the n gang and their friends this year, as their annual holiday toy-fest returns with a deliberately un-Yuletide spin. "We're hoping to sidestep the ‘twisted Christmas event' stigma by focusing on the playfulness of art-making and the universality of gift-giving," says the collective n mind. On Dec. 6, Gallery 303 (372 St-Laurent, #305) turns rec-room with a vernissage from 2-5 p.m. Among the presenters, Group of n founder Colin has some plush toys on display, Billy Mavreas unveils a special board game he's concocted and Maclean shows his model of our congested planet. Runs until Jan. 10. » Matthew Woodley

Sharing showers

Mark Paterson wrote his first short story around the same time he got fed up with teachers college. "High school teacher was more like high school disciplinarian," Paterson explains, "so I decided to drop it and concentrate on the writing." Fast-forward a few years, and the ebullient producer of the Grimey Windows series is launching his first book of short stories, Other People's Showers. "They're both humorous and think pieces," Paterson says. "I write about people - people who are quite normal on the surface, but underneath have a lot of interesting things going on." Hosted by comedic brother Mike Paterson, the book launch features a dramatic reading of "Looking the Part," as performed by literary luminaries Neale McDevitt, Larissa Andrusyshyn and others. There'll also be music by Graham Greer, and a review of Other People's Showers performed by wrestling personality Nixon Stratus. At Bar Les Minots, (3812 St-Laurent), Dec. 6 at 8 p.m., free. » Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

TOWEL OFF: What do you get when you cross a wet-wipe with the sun? The Tan Towel, of course. New to the popular world of sunless-bronzage techniques, the product uses mini towelettes to sequentially exfoliate, tan, and moisturize sickly grey skin into an even, un-orange glow, promise the makers. Tan Towel contains dihydroxyacetone, a compound that apparently reacts with amino acids in the skin. With its built-in citrus aroma, your friends will surely think you've just come from the beach. "I have used your TT and I look and feel good - without the UVs," writes David, a travel agent in Massachusetts. "When everyone asks, ‘You look great, where have you been?,' I respond, ‘I've been to the Isle of TT.'" Call 1-800-PATCHES for prices.

ArtsHole

CRAFT COVENTION: Who needs crappy gifts from Zellers when you can get your hands on one-of-a-kind stuff from local artists? The Roy Street Collective, for one, kicks off their Christmas Emporium with a party this Friday, Dec. 5, 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (111 Roy E.), free. The fair, which runs until Dec. 24 features art, furniture, jewellery, comics and more. • OUT OF ORDER: It's well worth a trip to the Old Port to see the tense, disorderly and almost-ambiguous photography of Belgian artist Michel François, which continues at Gallery VOX (350 St-Paul E., 3rd floor) until Dec. 21.

ARTISTAT: Number of multicoloured pills carpeting the floor at Articule (4001 Berri, #105) as part of Shawn Bailey's exhibition, snow_angel, a criticism of the pharmaceutical industry, running from Dec. 6-Jan. 25: about 10,000

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