Odd-villian episodes

So confident are Automatic Vaudeville in the calibre of their latest Hi-Class Picture Show that they're putting it on not once, but two times this weekend. If not for anything else, they suppose, people will flock in droves for the Triumphant Return of Mark Slutsky, who announced his retirement to a stunned crowd at their most recent affair and has since come a full 180. "It's been hard to keep my head low," he crows. "I got a lot of people who want to see me on stage."

Despite his hiatus from live performance, Slutsky has continued to work with AVS partners Daniel Perlmutter and Seth W. Owen on the film side of things, putting together for this Springtime Spectacular what they deem "the most disturbing and thought-provoking film that Automatic Vaudeville Studios has ever made." The Recommendations, starring Joe Cobden and Sarah Musgrave, is based on the apparently true-life saga of a successful writer accused of plagiarism by an unsuccessful writer. "It leads to various revenge schemes, harassment and horrible, brutal violence," Slutsky hints. "And it's very much set in Montreal. If you live in, or ever have lived in Montreal, you're going to want to see this."

With more movies, door prizes, live music and more, April 22–23, 9 p.m., at La Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent), $6–$8. » Matthew Woodley

Taking flight

A new dance event is blowing into town this week called Danse en Vol, whose goal is to put emerging artists on stage while promoting an intercultural dance exchange. The two-week happening is a collaboration between Montreal's Studio 303 and the Belgian Théâtre de L'L. With performances, workshops and discussions running at the MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance) until May 2, there's more than enough to keep any dance enthusiast happy.

In performance, local choreographers Sonya Biernath, Martin Bélanger and Victor Quijada, with his Rubberbanddance Group, show recent works along with six other Canadian companies. International choreographies making a stopover include « M » une pièce moyenne, a humorous look at life's banalities by Brazilian-born Maria Clara Villa-Lobos, and Marie Martinez's Ex/out/raus!/…fuera, which examines memories contained within the body. To consult the jam-packed schedule, go to www.studio303.com, 393-3771. » Marites Carino

Animation ancestry

Many of us who grew up on American cartoons don't realize that if we go back a little further into the history of animation, Montreal artist Raoul Barré was an important player in the early development of the industry. Barré moved to New York City in 1912, where he opened his own animation studio. Shorts from two fantasy series he produced and directed, the "Animated Grouch Chasers" and "Phables," can be seen alongside films, pictures, drawings and memorabilia in the current exhibition, Discovering Raoul Barré, at the Cinémathèque québécoise (335 de Maisonneuve E.). Career highlights include co-producing the Mutt and Jeff cartoons, until he was squeezed out of the operation in 1919, working on Felix the Cat in 1926 and inventing both the "slash and tear" technique and the "perf and peg" animation system. To complement the exhibition, a special screening of his work will take place tomorrow, April 23, at 6:30 p.m., 842-9763. » Christine Redfern

Duck tales

Curious about Montreal's hardest-working anarcho-artiste? This Friday at Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent), get a taste of the scribe and musician as Norman Nawrocki previews pieces from his soon-to-be released agit-poetics CD Duck Work, accompanying himself on treated violin, viola, a sampler, drum machine and vibrating bass dildo. Nawrocki promises to tackle all the latest hot-button issues, "Especially the whole question of state paranoia around security certificates!" In a second set, he joins the East Euro-flavoured strings 'n' beats ensemble DaZoque! for an all-instrumental meltdown., April 23, 9 p.m., $7.

Nawrocki's also organizing the upcoming Anarchist Bookfair fundster at El Salon (4388 St-Laurent), which features Dragana, the Balkan women's choir. "DaZoque will go on and do joint numbers with the choir," says Nawrocki. "We're very excited about that, as are they - six-piece band with six-piece vocal ensemble!" The show also features franco anarcho-music wizard Ivy, April 29, 8:30 p.m., $5–$8. » Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

SKID MARK STOPPER: The following testimonials come from satisfied users of The Final Wipe, a "moistened toilet paper supplement specially formulated for localized areas" - in other words, Wet Wipes for the arse. They are best read aloud over Europe's euphoric 1986 anthem, "The Final Countdown." "I keep a box of final wipes in my desk at work and grab one or two when ever I go to the bathroom." - Mike R. "I was at a Bills game tailgating and had to go to the bathroom, luckily my wife brought some final wipes because the parking lot porta-john was out of toilet paper." - Rich D. "I brought a couple with me each day I went hunting this season." - Kevin T. Final Wipes can be ordered at www.finalwipe.com, $3 (U.S.) for 30.

ArtsHole

CASH IN: No Damn Good and Misanthropy Gallery present I Will Remain, a touring tribute to Johnny Cash with several artists' representations of the Man in Black. It's at Alena Skate Shop (5662 Sherbrooke W.), Friday, April 23, 6–9 p.m. • SOUL PORN: Dave St-Pierre, a former Mirror noisemaker, pushes the sex and blood buttons with his dance piece La pornographie des âmes, running from April 22–24 at 8:30 p.m. and April 25, 4 p.m. at Tangente (840 Cherrier). • FEAR AND FRIENDS: French dancer/choreographer Nathalie Pernette tests the bounds of her comfort zone along with four other dancers and a stage-full of stuffed animals in Le nid, an exploration of fear, at l'Agora de la danse (840 Cherrier), 8 p.m., April 21–24.

ARTISTAT: Number of city busses that will play travelling host to the work of 20 local scribes - 10 anglo, 10 franco - as Poetry in Motion criss-crosses the island starting today, April 22, and continues until May 22: 1,600

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