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February’s highlight is unquestionably Alice Munro’s breathtaking
new collection of stories, Runaway (3 February, Chatto), winner of
Canada’s Giller Prize, and evidently declared by Munro to be her last
book. As the Guardian wrote: ‘If so, she has waved farewell to fiction
at the height of her powers. Each of the stories in this magnificent
collection achieves more than most novelists manage in several hundred pages.’ ‘One of the two or three best writers of fiction (of any
length) now alive’ Sunday Times
Kenneth Oppel has a huge following among young people. He’ll be in
Scotland, Ireland and London for the paperback publication of Airborn
(Hodder Children’s Books), winner of the 2004 Governor General’s
Award for children’s work. On 3 February at 6.30 pm he’s in conversation at Canada House: seats are limited – ring 020 7873 6425 to
check
availability.
For
tour
details,
email
[email protected]
Shake Hands with the Devil: the Failure of Humanity in Rwanda
(3 February, Arrow) by Lt Gen Romeo Dallaire earned the 2004
Governor General’s Award for non-fiction. It is a Bookseller’s choice:
‘essential reading’ in its description of the failure of the UN to back its
peacekeeping mission and to stop the genocide.
Joan Barfoot’s newest work, Luck (10 February, Weidenfeld &
Nicolson), a dark, witty novel about death (of one man), and love, life,
and happiness (of three women), will delight her many UK fans. ‘Luck
took me right out of myself – I read it in one gulp’ Alice Munro
Labrador (Hutchinson) and Lost Lands Forgotten Stories: A Woman’s
Journey to the Heart of Labrador by Alexandra Pratt (Eye Books).
Estate) is a terrific literary debut in which she displays an intuitive
storytelling ability, and a warm affection for her flawed characters, all
of them working through the vexing subjects of family, love, work, and
the ingredients of happiness and sorrow.
Paperbacks out: Irshad Manji The Trouble with Islam; Guy
Vanderhaege The Last Crossing; Alberto Manguel Stevenson Under
the Palm Trees; Colin McAdam Some Great Thing; Ken McGoogan
Ancient Mariner; John MacLachlan Gray White Stone Day; Carolyn
Abraham Possessing Genius.
Carol Shields’ life and work is to be celebrated at the Bath Literature
Festival on 28 February, and at the University of Exeter on 1 March.
Participating in these events will be her daughter, Anne Giardini.
Carol Shields’ Collected Stories is out in paperback (Fourth Estate).
Water Inc (28 February, Verso) by Varda Burstyn takes on greed,
heroism and mortal risk in this multi-billion dollar water heist in the
USA and the wilderness of Quebec. ‘A prescient and illuminating
thriller… rolling with intrigue and suspense’ Kirkus Reviews
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cabaret-style vocals with a moody, intense brand of orchestral
pop/rock.
To 11 February, 0870 400 0688
www.getlive.co.uk and www.thedears.org
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers present
Lily Frost, ‘moody electro-pop meets subtle rock’ and Mike Clark,
‘Wilko meets Badly Drawn Boy’.
9 February, The Water Rats, London
The music of LAL represents the cross-cultural Canadian experience,
drawing from South Asian, West Indian, and Latin and African communities. Lead singer Rosina says LAL is ‘the new Canadian sound
c
March blows in with Will Ferguson’s Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw:
Travels in Search of Canada (1 March, Canongate), the funny, insightful and quirky account of his three years’ criss-crossing of Canada. ‘A
very talented writer’ Bill Bryson
Christine Pountney’s second novel is The Best Way You Know How
(3 March, Faber). ‘Brave, intense and thought-provoking – a fierce
exploration of modern love’ Helen Cross, author of My Summer of Love
David Bezmozgis’s Natasha and Other Stories, now out in paperback,
(Vintage) was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. He
comes to the UK for Jewish Book Week: 13 March, 2 pm –
Bloomsbury Theatre, London; 15th, 7 pm – Borders, Cambridge; 17th
– Nottingham, tbc. For further information contact Valerie Monchi on
Pop, rock, jazz, folk and world
Now on release with CBC Records, African Guitar Summit features
the finest Canadian guitarists of African origin and is made up of dazzling individual showcases and electrifying collaboration.
The four-piece alt-country band Nathan Music Co ‘that appeals not
only to fans of roots music but also to the young hip crowd’ have
released Jimson Weed on Nettwerk/EMI.
James Keelaghan is a commanding singer and storyteller, known for
performances of intimacy, passion and humour, singing about everything from love to dogs to history.
1 to 24 February on tour www.keelaghan.com
[email protected]
Jessica Warner’s John the Painter: Britain’s First International
Terrorist (17 February, Profile) was an impassioned supporter of the
American Revolution, conducting acts of terror to do so! ‘This is rich,
ambitious history, executed in literary fireworks: a small glory and a
joy to read’ Simon Schama. Jessica Warner is in the UK for publication.
The annual London Book Fair takes place 13–15 March at Olympia
and, as usual, Canadians will be well represented with publishers and
agents on their own stands or at the Association for the Export of
Canadian Books stand.
Anne Giardini’s The Sad Truth About Happiness (28 February, Fourth
Two books by British authors about Canada to look out for: John
Gimlette’s Theatre of Fish: Travels through Newfoundland and
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The Wailin’ Jennys, renowned for their three-part harmonies and
sweet folk/pop sound, make their debut tour of the UK with founding
members Ruth Moody and Nicky Mehta, and innovative Montreal
artist Annabelle Chovstek.
To 8 February on tour www.thewailinjennys.com
The Dears, tipped as ‘ones to watch’ by both the Sunday Times and
Guardian are led by the charismatic Murray Lightburn and combine
▲ James Keelaghan
LAL ▲
represented by the first generation from immigrant experiences,
heavily influenced by European and North American culture’.
15 February, The Jazz Café, London
From the slightly bluegrassy first single ‘Simple Life’ and the wildly
joyous ‘Head Over High Heels’ to the emotional message songs and
the tradition-edged ‘Die of a Broken Heart’, Carolyn Dawn Johnson
displays her multiple singing and writing skills in her new album
Dress Rehearsal.
22 February, The Borderline, London
360° is a vibrant melange conveying Tom Lewis’ abiding passion for
singable songs from all points of the compass.
23 February to 29 March on tour www.tomlewis.net
Award-winning ‘electroacoustic guru’ Francis Dhomont gives his
Cycle du Son/Cycle of Sound at Sound Junction III.
26 February, The Drama Studio, Sheffield www.shef.ac.uk/usss
Congratulations to Lhasa de Sela who has won the BBC Radio 3
Award for World Music from the Americas. She has also been nominated for the Critics Award.
5 March, The Sage, Gateshead
▲ Carolyn Dawn Johnson
▲ Tom Lewis
Lhasa de Sela ▲
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February
Until 8
Until 11
Until 15
Until 15
Until 27
Until 5 Mar
Until 5 Mar
Until 11 Mar
Until 11 Mar
Until 29 Oct
1 to 6
1 to 24
3
3
9
9
9 to 16 April
10
11
11 to 17
▲
Canadian High Commission
London
▲ Alice Munro photo © Derek Shapton from Runaway, published by McClelland & Stewart Ltd, Toronto, Canada. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.
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14
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London
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22 to 12 Mar
23 to 29 Mar
24 to 13 Mar
26
28
28
Bath
Wailin’ Jennys tour
The Dears tour
Gerald Finley La Traviata, Royal Opera House, London
Mathieu Beauséjour Three Internationals exhibition, SPACE Studios, London
Jeff Wall Faces in the Crowd exhibition, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
Marla Rubin Festen, Lyric Theatre, London
Sarindar Dhaliwal Record Keeping exhibition, Oriel Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno
Douglas Coupland Canada House exhibition, Canada House, London
Bark Red & White – Canadians in Design exhibition, Canada House, London
Nicholas Colicos The Producers, Drury Lane Theatre Royal, London
Baba Brinkman The Rap Canterbury Tales, Etcetera Theatre, London
James Keelaghan tour
Alice Munro Runaway publication
Kenneth Oppel Airborn publication and UK visit
Lily Frost and Mike Clark The Water Rats, London
Alexis O’Hara Subject to Change, The Arches, Glasgow
Kelly Richardson Thinking the Unthinkable exhibition, Northern Gallery for
Contemporary Art, Sunderland
Joan Barfoot Luck publication
North of Hollywood UK tour launch, Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow
Atom Egoyan and Garine Torrossian films, Armenian Film Festival, French
Institute, London
Trio Fibonacci Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
Marc-André Hamelin Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
A Drop in the Ocean Le Triomphe d’Amour! St Anne and St Agnes Church,
LAL The Jazz Café, London
Jessica Warner John the Painter publication
Carolyn Dawn Johnson The Borderline, London
Linda Griffiths The Darling Family, Cowgate Central, Edinbuurgh
Tom Lewis tour
Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco, Starcity, Birmingham
Francis Dhomont Cycle du Son/Cycle of Sound, The Drama Studio, Sheffield
Varda Burstyn Water Inc publication
Carol Shields: A Celebration of Her Life and Work Bath Literature Festival,
March
1
1
1
3
5
9
13 to 17
14
14 to 18
17
17 to 18
23
Carol Shields: A Celebration of Her Life and Work Exeter University
Kathryn Whitney St John’s Smith Square, London
Will Ferguson Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw publication
Christine Pountney The Best Way You Know How publication
Llasa de Sala The Sage, Gateshead
Angela Hewitt Royal Festival Hall, London
David Bezmozgis readings, Jewish Book Week
Angela Hewitt Wigmore Hall, London
Four New Canadian Plays rehearsed readings, Old Vic Theatre, London
Sylvain Emard Danse Pluie/Rain Tramway, Glasgow
Topographies and Tales Creative Lab, Canada House, London
Sylvain Emard Danse Pluie/Rain Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon
Leaflet produced and compiled by the Cultural Affairs Section
Canadian High Commission, Canada House,
Trafalgar Square, London SW1Y 5BJ
Telephone 020 7258 6419
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/london/
Cultural Attaché : Diana Jervis-Read
Michael Regan: visual arts; Katherine Bond: performing arts; Ruth Petrie: literature;
Maggie Warwick: film, TV and new media; design: Sue Lamble
Jim Rennie: Library Services; Jeff Peet: Cultural Programme Assistant
Mezzo Soprano Kathryn Whitney performs Beethoven, Ravel, Berg,
Bach/Busoni and a new work by Wollenberg.
1 March, St John’s Smith Square, London, 020 7222 1061
Classical, contemporary and opera
Critically acclaimed for her innate musicianship, radiant voice and a
sovereign stage presence far beyond her years, soprano Measha
Brueggergosman’s debut CD So Much to Tell is on release with CBC
Records.
Pianist Angela Hewitt plays two successive concerts: Mozart K.453
conducted by Mark Elder with the prestigious London Philharmonic,
followed by a lunchtime recital of Bach and Ravel.
9 March, Royal Festival Hall, London
14 March, Wigmore Hall, London
In recent years Canadian Brass has been widely celebrated for its
truly innovative repertoire and their new release on CBC, Magic Horn
displays the breadth of their musical interests.
A concert by A Drop in the Ocean, Le Triomphe d’Amour! features
Gareth Deats and Lynn Selwood, cellos, Nina Bennet, soprano;
Martin Knizia, harpsichord.
14 February, 1.10 pm, St Anne and St Agnes Church,
Gresham Street, London
Baritone Gerald Finley has become one of the leading singers and
dramatic interpreters of his generation. He is currently playing the
role of Giorgio Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata.
To 15 February, Royal Opera House, London
Trio Fibonacci was formed in 1998 and is entirely devoted to the performance of new music for violin, cello and piano. Hear them perform
Dusapin, Trio Rombach; Ravel, Trio in A minor; Rihm, Fremde
Szenen.
12 February, Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
www.triofibonacci.com
Pianist Marc-André Hamelin performs Mozart, Piano Sonata K570;
Chopin, Polonaise Op 26 No 1; Mozart, Piano Sonata in C; Chopin,
Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise Op 22. ‘One of the most
adventurous and certainly the most courageous pianists of recent
times’ International Piano Quarterly
14 February, Queen’s Hall Edinburgh and BBC Radio 3
www.queenshalledinburgh.co.uk
▲ Measha Brueggergosman
▲ Canadian Brass
www.thearches.co.uk or www.newmoves.co.uk
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Nicholas Colicos joins a first-class cast in Mel Brooks’ stage show of
his film The Producers, which won twelve Tony awards in New York.
To October, Drury Lane Theatre Royal, London, 0870 890 1109
Following her hit production of Festen at the Almeida Theatre, producer Marla Rubin has joined forces with Bill Kenwright and transferred to the West End. ‘An embodiment of what theatre should be…
utterly essential viewing’ Independent
To 5 March, Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London,
0870 890 1107
Created and performed by rap artist and medieval scholar Baba
Brinkman, The Rap Canterbury Tales
brings Chaucer’s masterpiece to life on
stage as an exciting oral performance. The
Pilgrims are transported into a contemporary hip hop setting: they are rappers on a
tour bus between gigs, passing time with a
storytelling battle. An Edinburgh Festival
Fringe hit last year. ‘Truly awe-inspiring.
Five stars!’ Scotsman
1 to 6 February, Etcetera Theatre,
London
Lighthouse Arts produce the Scottish premiere of The Darling Family
by renowned playwright and actress Linda Griffiths.
22 February to 12 March, Cowgate Central, Edinburgh
The programme for the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival is still
to be finalised at the time of going to press but look out for A Touch
of Pink written and directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid. Alim leaves his
In association with the National Arts Centre and the UK’s leading new
writing theatres, the Canadian High Commission presents rehearsed
readings of Four New Canadian Plays which have each been produced
to critical success in Canada but are unknown to British audiences.
14 to 18 March, Old Vic Theatre, London, 020 7258 6419
Sylvain Emard Danse, a New Territories favourite, gives the British
premiere of Pluie/Rain, a pas-de-deux and the first part of a creative
cycle entitled Climatology of the Body.
17 March, Tramway, Glasgow
23 March, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon
Back by popular demand, George Skalkogiannis gives a course in
‘Career Development in the Performing Arts’ at the New Territories
International Winter School.
7 to 8 February, The Lighthouse, Glasgow www.newmoves.co.uk
Alexis O’Hara returns to Scotland’s National Review of Live Art with
Subject to Change, a performance piece featuring storytelling, vocal
acrobatics and on-the-fly audio sampling, looping and layering.
9 February, The Arches, Glasgow, 0141 565 1023
This is the fourth year of the North of Hollywood UK tour of Canadian
films to be launched in Scotland and travel through England and
Ireland. Six films are included in this year’s programme: Seven Times
Lucky by Gary Yates stars Kevin Pollak as a small time gangster with
Topographies and Tales is a Creative Lab taking place at Canada
House in conjunction with UK creative studio, Proboscis, bringing
together art practitioners, academics, civil organisations and scientists to focus on the relationship of the urban and the remote land-
▲ Alexis O’Hara
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t e l e v i s i o n
▲ Sylvain Emard Danse
Sub/Extros ▲
Canadian/Ismali family to live in London, accompanied by his mentor,
the spirit of Cary Grant, brilliantly played by Kyle MacLachlan. When
he falls in love with Giles things get complicated: a funny, moving and
entertaining film making subtle comment on mixed-race relationships, colonialism and family hypocrisies.
30 March to 13 April, London cinemas. For other Canadian titles
and more information see www.llgff.org.uk
called Claire. The ensuing horror story is very surreal and quite scary!
11 February launch at Glasgow Film Theatre followed by UK tour.
More information from www.sodapictures.com and 020 7258 6405
Media artist and writer Tom Sherman shows a selection of his video
work at Canada House. Sherman was awarded the Bell Canada
Award for Excellence in 2003. His work has a raw humour whilst making serious comment on bizarre contradictions governed by human
conceit. The programme consists of selections from Sub/Extros, OffKilter Series and October Tapes.
27 January, 7.00 pm Canada House Cinema, London, 020 7258 6405
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Organised by the Vancouver-based Design Collective Bark, Red &
White – Canadians in Design features works by twenty contemporary
designers from across Canada, showcasing 21st century cutting-edge
industrial and product design using innovative materials and manufacturing processes.
Until 11 March, Side Gallery, Canada House, London
Works by Jeff Wall are included in a group exhibition entitled Faces in
the Crowd which tells the story of modern art through the human figure. The exhibition includes masterpieces of painting and photography by such luminaries as Picasso, Hopper, Bacon, Kahlo, Warhol,
Richter and Cindy Sherman.
Until 27 February, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
The International, consisting of three distinct video installations, is
the title of an exhibition created by Mathieu Beauséjour, the third
recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts British Residency
Programme.
Until 15 February, Triangle Gallery, SPACE Studios, London
Cirque du Soleil’s phantasmagoric Saltimbanco offers a new vision of
urban life.
24 February to 13 March, Starcity, Birmingham
www.cirquedusoleil.com
The Armenian Film Festival looks at Armenian history, culture and
identity with supporting talks and panel discussions. Two films by
leading Canadian/Armenian director Atom Egoyan will be included:
Calendar explores an intellectual and emotional understanding of an
alien yet familiar culture. Ararat is both an investigation into and reenactment of the Armenian revolution of 1915–18. Garine Torrossian
will present a programme of her short films which have won awards
internationally. Her films have a magical, secretive quality, redefining
and layering images to produce rich textural works. Drowning in
Flames, Sandias Eustasy and Garden in Khorkhom are just three of
the titles she will be showing.
11 to 17 February, Cine Lumière, French Institute, London,
020 7073 1350 [email protected]
▲ Trio Fibonacci
scape. The Lab will look at work already done between Proboscis and
Canadian artists living in the Yukon whilst investigating new strategies to develop this work further. Canadian film/new media artists
Joyce Majinski and Carol Geddes will participate and it is hoped that
the Daniel Langois Foundation from Montreal will also attend. We
hope to establish a live link to Canadian universities through the
Marcel network.
17 to 18 March, Canada House, London, 020 7258 6405
[email protected]
a heart. Falling Angels by Scott Smith, based on the novel by Barbara
Gowdy, tells of three sisters coming of age in the ‘60s as part of a
crazy dysfunctional family, and The Republic of Love directed by
Deepa Mehta, based on the novel by Carol Shields, is a romantic love
story starring Emilia Fox and Bruce Greenwood. Night Zoo by JeanClaude Lauzon, a classic of Canadian cinema from 1987, won rave
reviews on its UK release. It tells the story of Marcel, fresh out of
prison and pursued by two bent cops with a grudge against him.
Scared Sacred is a feature documentary by Velcrow Ripper who visited sites of catastrophe worldwide searching for signs of hope and
humanity amongst the horror: surprising, moving and humbling. La
Peau Blanche by Daniel Roby is about a friendship between two men
which takes a turn for the worse when one falls in love with a woman
▲ The Republic of Love
La Peau Blanche ▲
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Canada House, an exhibition devised by Douglas Coupland, author of
Generation X and Girlfriend in a Coma, provides a new perspective on
Canadian identity, using textiles, furniture, visual art and photography
created by Coupland. The show is thought-provoking, light-hearted
and affectionate in tone, with a tongue-in-cheek approach to beloved
Canadian materials. The exhibition has been organised by the Design
Exchange, Toronto, with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Until 11 March, Main Gallery, Canada House, London
▲ Sandias Eustasy
The ground-breaking exhibition entitled The Mysterious Bog People
charts over 14,000 years of cultural history and contains over 400
exhibits found in the bogs or swamps of northwestern Europe, from
Copenhagen to Barcelona. The exhibition has been organised by the
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, in partnership with the
Glenbow Museum, Calgary.
5 February to 8 May, The Museum of Science and Industry,
Manchester
Punjab-born, Toronto-based artist Sarindar Dhaliwal has created
Record Keeping, a combining of storytelling, painting and textile
installations with print media and video. The exhibition has been
curated by the Organisation for Visual Arts, UK, in collaboration with
the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, Ontario.
Until 5 March, Oriel Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno
Thinking the Unthinkable is the title of a group exhibition which
includes the work of Kelly Richardson who has been commissioned
to create two new works for the show.
9 February to 16 April, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art,
Sunderland
Marketing Native North America: The Promotion and Sale of Art and
Design, a three-day conference looks at current methods to promote
internationally the contemporary fine and decorative arts produced by
North America’s First Nations, and includes speakers from the USA
and Canada.
4 to 6 February, Centre for Anthropology, British Museum, London
(admission by ticket only)
▲ from The Mysterious Bog People