The Victora Jazz Society presents Montreal-born Jazz Guitarist Eric St-Laurent, coming to Hermann’s Jazz Club Friday, March 16 (8pm) accompanied by Jordan O’Connor (bass) and Michel DeQuevedo (percussion). The Trio’s last album, Ruby, features Afro-Cuban rhythms combined with elements of jazz and blues.
UVic’s Pheonix Theatre is presenting The Marowitz Hamlet, featuring guest director Charles Marowitz, who created the “collage” of Shakespeare’s masterpiece, and co-directed by Fran Gebhard. Marowitz visited UVic for three weeks to work with the students before returning home to California. Opens Thursday, March 15 at 8 p.m. and runs until March 24. More info at pheonixtheatre.ca or by calling 250-721-8000.
Ballet Victoria is presenting Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Other Works March 16-18 at the McPherson Playhouse featuring dance, live music, poetry and paintings by local artists. International concert pianist Sarah Hagan will perform Chopin’s Preludes, Pablo Diemecke and his ensemble will perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, haunting haikus written by former poet laureate Linda Rogers read by the B.C.’s Lieutenant Governor, Steven L. Point will punctuate Vivaldi’s timeless score and the traditional art of Tom Hunt, Dylan Thomas, Rande Cook and LessLIE will drive the movement of the choreography. Tickets start at $25 and are available at 250-386-6121 or online at rmts.bc.ca.
Emcees from around the Island are going to battle for bragging rights at the seventh installment of Battle of the Bridge Hungry for Beef. Starting Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m. at Incite Screen Printing (2514 Douglas), hosts John Zee and Fatty Down will host a freestyle tournament with 16 emcees fighting to become the new Battle of the Bridge Freestyle Champ. This is an all ages event. $5 at the door, or $3 with a donation for the Mustard Seed Food Bank. There’s also a written battle featuring Mike Sherm and Seagul, with the winner taking home $100.
The Maritime Museum of B.C. is hosting another alternative St. Patrick’s Day celebration featuring the Celtic musical stylings of Cookeilidh and dancing by the O’Connor O’Brien Dancers, Friday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m.(28 Bastion Square). Tickets are $12/$10, available at the door.
Montreal rockers Plants and Animals will play Victoria’s Lucky Bar March 20 (8 p.m., $20) in support of its recently released album The End of That, a modern take on retro rock that considers the freedoms and follies of entering adulthood. The album, for the most part, is filled with guitar-driven rock music flecked with sounds of the past. Title track “The End of That,” gives a country-infused backbeat to lead-singer/guitarist Warren Spicer’s vintage vocal delivery of conversational lyrics like, “We’re hoping to be friends, and do cool stuff, and be equal, I think that’s where it’s at.” With guests Little Scream. Read the full story at mondaymag.com
Intrepid Theatre presents the second original creation by La Compagnie Chaliwaté (Belgium), Joséphina at the Metro Studio, March 20 and 21 (8p.m.). Somewhere between dance and physical theatre, Joséphina is a shockingly beautiful, sexy, funny and mysterious show that tells the story of Alfredo, a man alone, and the absent woman whose memory infuses everything he touches. Win a double-guest pass to this show at Facebook.com/Mondaymagazine. M
