Stage
Fri. Dec. 16
Mummers Masque – A rollicking, fun Christmas story for everyone. FRIDAY 7:30, SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2:30pm at St. Ann’s Academy (835 Humboldt). $34. 1-888-717-6121.
A Mistletoe Wish – A Christmas romantic comedy of errors with puppets and audience sing-a-longs. FRIDAY & SATURDAY 8pm at Merlin’s Sun Home Theatre (1983 Fairfield). $15. 250-598-7488.
Naughty But Nice Peepshow – Get into the Christmas spirit with the ladies of the Cheesecake Burlesque Revue. 8:30pm at the Metro Studio (1411 Quadra). $22/$25. cheesecakeburlesque.com.
Sat. Dec. 17
Rated XMas:Stockings, Pasties and Mistletoe – Performances by Silk E Gunz, Mandy Lushious, Pepper Minx, Betty Barracuda, Cherry Poppins, Grayson Walker, Passion and Performance and Miss Kitty Monroe. 8pm at the Victoria Event Centre (1415 Broad). $20. 250-380-1280.
Sun. Dec. 18
Asmira’s School of Oriental Bellydance Christmas Recital – Asmira’s students perform to a variety of Middle Eastern music and theatre. 7:30pm at the Metro Studio (1411 Quadra). $16. 250-380-1560, asmiradance.com.
A Christmas Carol – Performed by Clayton Jevne and Sandra Ritter, A Christmas Carol succeeds in capturing the intimacy and poignancy of a story written to delight and inspire. SUNDAY & WEDNESDAY 8pm, matinees SUNDAY & WEDNESDAY 2pm. To Dec. 24 at the Emily Carr House (207 Government). $15/$12 students & seniors/$10 children under 16. 250-383-5843, theatreinconnu.com.
Comedy showdown – Come and vote for your favorite stand-up comedian. The winner walks away with a handful of prizes including $50 cash! Hosted by Wes Lord. 8pm at the Victoria Event Centre (1415 Broad). $10. 250-380-1280.
Wed. Dec. 21
Alice in wonderland – The familiar tale of Alice’s adventures through Wonderland with the White Rabbit as her guide is stretched and twisted to create surprises and hilarity zanier than the maddest tea party imaginable in this traditional panto version of Alice in Wonderland. 8pm at St. Luke’s Church Hall (3821 Cedar Hill Cross). $15/$13 students & seniors/$5 children under 5. 250-370-1291.
Ongoing
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg – A hilarious and disturbing story of a couple trying to cope with life that has been defined by their daughter’s severe disability. THURSDAY-SATURDAY 8pm, matinee SATURDAY 2pm. To SATURDAY at the Little Fernwood Hall (1923 Fernwood). $16/$12. theatreinconnu.com.
Robin Hood – A traditional pantomime. FRIDAY & SATURDAY 7:30pm, SUNDAY 2pm at The Berwick Theatre (4680 Elk Lake). $15. peninsulaplayers.bc.ca.
WHITE CHRISTMAS – Former WW2 GI’s Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. They meet Betty and Judy, a pair of sisters with a similar act, and travel to Vermont to find their former commander owns the lodge at which they are performing. Antics ensue. THURSDAY-SATURDAY 8pm, matinee SUNDAY 2pm at McPherson Playhouse (#3 Centennial Square). $24. 1-888-717-6121.
A Christmas Carol – A Charles Dickens’ classic, performed as a one-man show by Jason Stevens. FRIDAY, WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 & 28, 7pm at Craigdarroch Castle (1050 Joan). $20/$15. thecastle.ca.
Sin City Improv: Carnies – A depression-era traveling sideshow full of shenanigans. An improvised play over 24 episodes. Last chance. TUESDAY 8pm at Victoria Event Centre (1415 Broad). $15/$12. sincityimprov.com.
Jitters – A delicious backstage comedy about life in the theatre. THURSDAY 8pm & SUNDAY 2pm at the Belfry Theatre (1291 Gladstone). $23/$17. belfry.bc.ca.
WORDS
Thurs. Dec. 15
Vic Slam Indies – Eight of Victoria’s top spoken word poets will compete in four rounds of poetry for more than $200 in prize money and a spot on the national stage. 8pm at Cabin 12 (607 Pandora). $5. 250-590-1500.
Sun. Dec. 18
Framing the Garden – Book launch for A celebration of the arts in Victoria, Framing the Garden: Reflections of Victoria, a volume of poets and artists reflecting each other’s work in their own art. 2-4 at the Martin Batchelor Gallery (712 Cormorant). Free. 250-385-3378.
ongoing
Victoria Anarchist Reading Circle – Discuss the latest in anarchist reading. TUESDAYS 7pm at Camas Books (2590 Quadra). Free. 250-381-0585.
trivia pub quiz – General knowledge, guess the song, who said it, (or our variation) who tweeted it! Free. TUESDAYS 8pm at Felicita’s (UVic). 250-721-8626.
Open mic – Poetry night. WEDNESDAYS 7-9pm at The Well (821 Fort). Free.
Galleries
Thurs. Dec. 15
fifty fifty arts collective – Analog Eco Exhibit, exhibition of pop art iconography by Albert Joaquin. Opening reception 7-10pm. To Dec. 29. at 2516 Douglas.
Absolute Underground Gallery – XXX-mas Artshow, exhibition of work featuring Handsome Jeff, Alexandra Zaiser, Trust 666 and more. Opening reception 6-11pm. To Jan. 1 at 1215 Government.
Fri. Dec. 16
Studio Gallery – Paintings 2011, exhibition of work by Bill Porteous. Opening reception 6-10pm. To SUNDAY at 2960A Jutland.
VICTORIA COLLEGE OF ART – The Proof is in the Pudding, exhibition and sale of students’ artwork. Opening reception 7-10pm. To SATURDAY at 1625 Bank.
Ongoing
fifty fifty arts collective – Fantasy Bears, exhibition of work by Stefan Thompson. To THURSDAY at 2516 Douglas.
Deluge gallery – Surface To Air, exhibition featuring the work of 11 young international artists. To SATURDAY at 636 Yates.
xchanges gallery – Winter Exhibition 2011, exhibition of work by Xchanges members. To SUNDAY at 2333 Government.
Olio Artists & Workers Cooperative – Retinal Circus, exhibition of work by Bob Masse. To SUNDAY at 614 1/2 Fisgard.
GOWARD HOUSE – Exhibition of Chinese brush paintings by the Studio of Harmonious Endeavours. To Dec. 23 at 2495 Arbutus.
View Art Gallery – The Toy Show, group exhibition of gallery and guest artist/toy-makers. Featuring artist GJ Pearson, his kinetic sculpture and creative toys. To Dec. 24 at 104-860 View.
POLYCHROME FINE ARTS – Monkey Island, exhibition of paintings by Thomas Anfield. To Dec. 24 at 1113 Fort.
AVENUE GALLERY – Exhibition of works by Kathryn Amisson, Linzy Arnott, Blu Smith, Ron Parker. To Dec. 24 at 2184 Oak Bay.
Martin Batchelor Gallery – Recent paintings by Suzanne Bessette. To December 24 at 712 Cormorant.
West End gallery – The Winter Collection, exhibition of festive and eclectic work featuring new paintings from West End Gallery artists. To Dec. 30 at 1203 Broad.
She Said Gallery – Christmas Paintings, exhibition of work by Deryk Houston. To Dec. 31 at 2000 Fernwood.
OUT OF THE MIST GALLERY – 19th & 20th Century Haida Jewelry, exhibition of work from anonymous artists to John Cross and Bill Reid. To Dec. 31 at 740 Douglas.
Mercurio Gallery – Silver, Gold & Stones, an exhibition and sale of jewelry by Stuart Duncan. To Dec. 31 at 4357 Metchosin.
little fernwood gallery – 3 For the Road, exhibition of work from Open Studio, Youth Art Surge and the Head Injury Society. To Jan. 1 at 1923 Fernwood.
Emerging Art Gallery – CoLABoration, exhibition of collaborative work. To Jan. 1 at 977 A Fort.
art gallery of greater victoria -Small Works Show & Sale, to Jan. 1. Asian Ceramics from Ancient Shipwrecks, a collection of ceramics yielded from shipwrecks dating from the 15th to 19th centuries, to Jan. 2. Collected Resonance, exhibition of work by Shelly Bahl, Sarindar Dhaliwal and Farheen Haq., to Jan. 8. Promising Objects, an evolving project corresponding with MacTaggart’s interest in inventors and artists and their respective quests to devise solutions to problems and ideas, to Jan. 15. On the Edge of Nowhere by Emily Carr, semi-permanent. All shows at 1040 Moss.
Gallery 1580 – Abstracted 2011, exhibition of work by Marjorie Allen, Victoria Clark, Maggie Cole, Lynda Dickson, Bonnie Kreye and more. To Jan. 3 at 1580 Cook.
eclectic gallery – Small Works, exhibition of work by twelve Victoria artists. To Jan. 7 at 2170 Oak Bay.
Sooke Harbour House – Collective of One, exhibition of work by Malcolm Barker. To Jan. 28 at 1528 Whiffen Spit.
Maltwood Prints and Drawings Gallery – Images Of Internment, exhibition of paintings by Henry Shimizu. To Feb. 2 at the McPherson Library (UVic).
Legacy Gallery – The Emergence of Architectural Modernism II: UVic and the Victoria Regional Aesthetic in the late 1950s and 60s. To Feb. 26 at 630 Yates.
