Stage
Thurs. Dec. 8
The fringe that stole Christmas – Intrepid Theatre’s annual Christmas fundraising show & auction. Features an adapted reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, snacks, drink tasting and a silent auction. 6pm at The Superior (106 Superior). $35. 250-590-6291.
Six Saisons De L’Amour – French cabaret. 7pm at The Well (821 Fort). $6. thewholemartenterprises.com
Pecha Kucha Volume 8 – Eleven presenters get 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide to talk about their relationship with music. 7pm at Victoria Event Centre (1415 Broad). $10. 1415broad.ca.
Little Orange Man – Snafu dance artists Ingrid Hansen, Kathleen Greenfield, Jess Shead and Rod Peter Jr. present an encore performance of this Fringe hit. Art party and Gory Story slam to follow. THURSDAY and FRIDAY 7pm at Intrepid Theatre Club (1609 Blanshard). $10. 250-882-4644.
Fri. Dec. 9
Robin Hood – A traditional pantomime. FRIDAY & SATURDAY 7:30pm, SUNDAY 2pm at The Centre (1229 Clarke). $16.
THE HO HO HO SHOW – Holiday stand-up comedy featuring Kirsten Van Ritzen and her comedy class students. 8pm at The Moka House (1633 Hillside). $5. 250-480-3709.
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. FRIDAY, SATURDAY and Dec. 15-17 8pm, SUNDAY and Dec. 18 2pm at McPherson Playhouse (#3 Centennial Square). $24. 1-888-717-6121.
Sat. Dec. 10
A Christmas Carol – A Charles Dickens’ classic, performed as a one-man show by Jason Stevens. SATURDAY and WEDNESDAY, and Dec. 16, 21, 23 and 28, 7pm at Craigdarroch Castle (1050 Joan). $20/$15. thecastle.ca.
Sun. Dec. 11
Madness, Masks & Miracles – A play by playwright/psychotherapist June Swadron that attempts to dispel mental illness stigmas. 6:45pm at the Truth Centre (1201 Fort). By donation. juneswadron.com.
Phillips Comedy Night – Hosted by Wes Borg. 8pm at the Victoria Event Centre (1415 Broad). $10. 1415broad.ca.
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 and FRIDAY 8pm, SATURDAY 2pm and 8pm, SUNDAY 2pm. To Dec. 17 at the Little Fernwood Hall (1923 Fernwood). $16/$12. theatreinconnu.com.
Comedy night – Get your belly aching with Gavin Stephens. FRIDAY & SATURDAY 9pm at Heckler’s. $10. 250-386-9207.
Sin City Improv: Carnies – A depression-era traveling sideshow full of shenanigans. An improvised play over 24 episodes. TUESDAYS 8pm to Dec. 20 at Victoria Event Centre (1415 Broad). $15/$12. sincityimprov.com.
Jitters – A delicious backstage comedy about life in the theatre. TUESDAYS-THURSDAYS 8pm, SUNDAYS 2pm. To Dec. 18 at the Belfry Theatre (1291 Gladstone). $23/$17. belfry.bc.ca.
WORDS
Fri. Dec. 9
Concussion discussion – With Geoff Courtnall and Valentus Clinics. Educating parents and players about the significance of concussion and its effects on the brain. 6:30pm at Puckmasters Rink (2657 Wilfert). Free. 250-590-5090.
Sat. Dec. 10
Ekstasis Editions Book launch – Featuring readings from Ekstasis authors and music by Carol Sokoloff and Trio Espresso. 6:30pm at The Well (821 Fort). Free. 250-385-3378.
Mon. Dec. 12
Victoria Storytellers Guild – Listen to and tell stories. 7:30pm at 1831 Fern. $5/$3. victoriastorytellers.org.
TUES. Dec. 13
A Christmas carol – A dramatic reading by CBC Radio personalities, with a Christmas carol sing-a-long. 6:30pm at Alix Goolden Hall (907 Pandora). $15/$5. 250- 388-7112.
Natural History Night – Sarah Cox speaks on the campaign to preserve the Flathead River valley. Presented by the Victoria Natural History Society. 7:30pm in room 159, the Fraser building (UVic). Free. naturevictoria.ca.
Wed. Dec. 14
Reducing Barriers Project – Jodi Williams speaks on the Working Group for the BC Society of Transition Houses Reducing Barriers Project. In recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Noon at the Yakimovich Wellness Centre (1454 Hillside). $20. 250-383-4412.
BioIdentical Hormones – Learn the anti-aging benefits of Bio-identical Hormones with Deirdre O’Neill. 6pm at Pure Pharmacy (101-1990 Fort). Free. 250-590-8799.
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. 8
Olio Artists & Workers Cooperative – Retinal Circus, exhibition of work by Bob Masse. Opening reception 8pm. To Dec. 18 at 614 1/2 Fisgard.
Fri. Dec. 9
Emerging Art Gallery – CoLABoration, exhibition of collaborative work. Opening reception 6-9pm. To Jan. 1 at 977 A Fort.
Sat. Dec. 10
AVENUE GALLERY – Celebrating Small VII, exhibition of 100 miniature masterpieces. 10am-5:30pm. One day only at 2184 Oak Bay.
Mercurio Gallery – Silver, Gold & Stones, an exhibition and sale of jewelry by Stuart Duncan. To Dec. 31 at 4357 Metchosin.
Ongoing
Open Space – Thirty-Five Thousand Forty, exhibition of Mike Andrew McLean’s culmination of a year of taking photos. To SATURDAY at 510 Fort.
fifty fifty arts collective – Fantasy Bears, exhibition of work by Stefan Thompson. To Dec. 15 at 2516 Douglas.
Deluge gallery – Surface To Air, exhibition featuring the work of 11 young international artists. To Dec. 17 at 636 Yates.
xchanges gallery – Winter Exhibition 2011, exhibition of work by Xchanges members. To Dec. 18 at 2333 Government.
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.
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.
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.
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.
