I’m home at last after some major grocery shopping and a crummy five days of drudgery at the day job, chilling with Winston the Cat, sipping a tasty beverage and listening to the new Mel C album (why didn’t someone TELL me Sporty had a new album out??).  And I’ve come to accept that the Foofarah seems to have evolved into a biweekly thing…which is only a downer if you consider that the reason I DON’T do one every second week is because I’m just too goddam depressed to write one.  Unless that actually amuses you, which I hope it does, and even if not, who cares?  This is the OTHER week! And just what IS going on this week, you ask?

IN TOWN THIS WEEK:  Well, over at the NAC, the de-lovely COMMUNION from Danny Mac continues, to what I hope are packed and enthusiastic houses.  Starting this Wednesday are three shows you just GOTTA catch…from Director Al Connors and based on the show from A Company of Fools, Algonquin theatre presents SHAKESPEARE’S INTERACTIVE CIRCUS on the campus for four days.  Over at the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama, the Ottawa Theatre School present THE SUICIDE, directed by the man Pierre Brault.  And at Arts Court, Evolution Theatre provides one of my must-sees of the year, the double-bill of MARY MAGDALENE AND ADVENTURES IN SOBRIETY and [boxhead], which if you scroll not too far back on this blog, you’ll find me discussing interview-stylee with their respective casts and crews.  And on the 19th, Phoenix Players debut their three-day run of BEDROOM FARCE at the Gladstone. and if only for the glorious effort they’ve put in at promotion, you should check it out.  Plus, Fringe musical MOMMA’S BOY returns for a few days over the weekend from Bear and Co.  Lots to do!  Oh, and that silly Prix Rideau Awards thingamajig…

Mel C break!!!

SHORTS:  Next month, New Theatre of Ottawa will be presenting their EXTREMELY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL, which I TOTALLY wimped out and didn’t enter.  But while I work on getting an interview with THAT gang of good kids, here’s another fun thing they’ve got going: The EXTREMELY SHORT STORY CONTEST!  Hosted on playwright (and festival-winning entrant) Lawrence Aronovitch’s blog, the rules is simple…simply post your six word (or less) play in the comments section of the contest thread.  The winner will be announced on May 1st, and will win tickets to the show.  Sounds cool, right?  That’s because it is.  And I hope you can enter as often as you want to, because unless someone tells me I can’t, I’m posting an entry EVERY DAMN DAY until the contest’s over. And maybe for a while after that.

AN APOLOGY: An Edited apology at that, as I’ve found myself needing to pretty much eliminate the original goofy rant I had posted in this spot, as I may have not written it as clearly as I meant to in the first place..?  Not a shock, but there you go.  As a result, people seem to think I meant something entirely other than what I actually DID mean to convey, and I don’t have the particular desire to keep it alive any longer.  Suffice it to say, I personally was quite modestly pleased with the guest post I recently did for Nadine Thornhill’s  Adorkable Undies, and am gladdened that a few of you out there were too.  Now dance!

Don’t it tho?  What the Hell else is going on?  Well, I’ve been reading some George Carlin recently, and one does not peruse Robert Anton Wilson’s  fav’rit philosopher without being profoundly moved.  A few choice excerpts from the current tome:

“All patriarchal societies are either preparing for war, at war, or recovering from war.”

“Christians must be sick in the head.  Only someone who hates himself could possibly think of the pleasures of masturbation as self-abuse.”

“Whenever you hear the phrase Zero Tolerance, remember, someone is bullshitting you.”

“Why is it the only time you hear the word figment it’s in relation to the imagination?  Aren’t there other kinds of figments?”

I picked this book (‘WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORK CHOPS?’) up, used, at the St.Vincent dePaul on Wellington, which I’ve found to be a GREAT source of unexpected literary greatness.  I’ve nabbed several vintage Monty Python books there, a Rick Mercer volume, and my recent prize of the Book of the Subgenius, and highly recommend that you shop there as much as possible.  I leave you now with a bit from a great Carlin routine I have on vinyl, his take on Muhammed Ali during the Vietnam war.  Sheer genius.  Have fun in Valhalla, George!

Peace, love and soul,

The Visitor (and Winston)