National Geographic - Robert Ballard: Adventures in Deep Sea Exploration

Robert Ballard wanted to explore the seas, like his hero Captain Nemo, from a very young age. At 70, he still exudes the passion and excitement you would expect from that teenager.

With a zest for "going where no man has gone before on planet earth", he is as committed to deep sea exploration as he is to developing this passion in students. He has built an incredible network of command posts to provide the world's top experts at the scene within 30 minutes of a discovery. He is embedding student programs across science centres, museums and schools.

Ballard pioneered innovative approaches to exploration through robotics and to sharing of these results through real time transmission via television studios at the beginning. He is now fully leveraging the power of the internet. He has definitely not been left behind by technology.

This is a great segment to share with your budding scientist, but be prepared for a big bill as he/she will need masters and doctoral level degrees in engineering, math, geology, ....

CanStage - Ignorance

Ignorance takes you on a journey in search of happiness. Are you happy, what makes you happy? Alternating between miserable old folks, as suggested by their scowling countenances, and a prehistoric lovestruck couple, we watch them struggle and survive. This is particularly poignant as the characters are puppets. The modern day puppets rely on the puppetmaster for their arms and legs. The prehistoric puppets are very crude, but strangely endearing. There are some crude scenes - this is definitely not for the sensitive, but I enjoyed it and recommend you give it a try.

A Bat Mitzvah

Our family was invited to a bat mitzvah on Sat eve and it was an awesome celebration. Set in a New York theme, the guests were treated to a Saturday Night Live in New York. Rocking all night to a DJ and dance troupe, who expertly led everyone in the latest dance moves, the crowd was on their feet all night. The young adults loved the DJ and significantly outlasted the parents - we had to pry them off the dance floor. For many of the young crowd, this was their first big party and the guest of honour made it a very special night for everyone.

Acting Up Stage Company - Tapestries

The music of Carole King and James Taylor.

Sorry - this just did not work for me. The arrangements were too far off the mark for my taste. They were more jazz like, it often felt that the band and the vocalists were not doing the same number. There were no melodies in the music and, while the percussionist was very good, there was a bit too much of it.

The vocalists on their own were quite good, with some standout performances from Kelly Holiff, Sterling Jarvis and Arlene Duncan. But the harmonies didn't always work with the voice combos used. One jazz vocalist in particular did not seem in the right place.

Perhaps I am not really a Carole King or James Taylor fan as, unfortunately, this arrangement did not suit my tastes, nor that of my companion. We couldn't wait to escape, although the audience did give a resounding applause ...

Off Mirvish - Terminus

A very clever show - a series of interconnected monologues presented on a small section of the stage, barely big enough for the actor to fill.

In fact, the entire audience was on the stage of the Royal Alex. With stadium style seating set up for an intimate crowd of 200, facing out towards the audience seating, with the actors standing on the precipice, seemingly always just one brief misstep away from plunging off the edge. As a matter of fact, we keep waiting for this to happen, as though that is why we are organized this way.

We follow the lives of a young girl, her mother, her friends, her true love, as they grapple with the consequences of jealousy, love and hate. The dialogue is ambitious and expertly delivered. Even the surreal bits are enthralling. Some of the rhyming bits feel like Dr. Seuss, but in a totally genuine and charming way.

This first show in the Off Mirvish series did not disappoint. I can't wait for the next !

AGO - Frida & Diego

I enjoyed this show, but I suspect my experience was enhanced by my companion, who had seen the movie and gone through the show previously with the audio guide. This is one of those kind of shows where the background story really adds to the experience, particularly since the work is spanning such a long period of time.

Frida's work changes quite substantially over the time frame as it is heavly influenced by the things going on in her life and her personal pain. From a horrific car accident in her youth to repeated miscarriages to the betrayal by her beloved (with her sister, no less, among others ....), some of the images are quite bold and striking.

An obsession with self, there is an overabundance of self portraits. She has a face that is intriguiging and mysterious, evidenced by the interest of so many photographers. In her own self portraits, the juxtoposition of her image with cultural icons and other items tells a story of her interests and obsessions.

It is also interesting to watch the evolution of Diego's work as he moves from Mexico to the U.S. to Europe, influenced by popular culture, including time spent with Picasso. I am particularly fond of the landscapes.

While I am not generally drawn to exhibits so filled with portraits, I enjoyed this one and suggest you check it out. But, it might add to the experience if you have time to see the movie first .....

Gardiner Museum - Harlequinade

We went to the opening of Kate Hyde's show at the Gardiner Museum. This was the culmination of almost a year's work creating Harlequins in the muse of Punch and Judy. The presentation, amongst some antiquities hundreds of years old, was vey creative and really showed her work off well.

Kate is a really talented and exacting artist. Her figures are imbued with life and you feel as though you share their joy and are being entertained.

The detailing of the figures is amazing. So inviting, that you want to reach into the glass to hold their hands. They are a delight to look at and study and you will want to take a bunch home. You should enjoy them while you can - the show closes in mid January and we will be taking "For the Show" home ....