Montrealers have hockey in their DNA, so it is easy to suggest that you head to the Centaur Theatre to see “Playing with Fire”, a must-see play about hockey – it’s even performed on a hockey rink!  Okay, it’s a synthetic one, but the star of this one-man show, Shaun Smyth, skates and acts the entire show in full hockey gear as NHL’er Theo Fleury. Now that’s something Habs fans can enjoy – even though he played for the Calgary Flames when they beat us for the Stanley cup in 1989.

Smyth (through the storytelling gift of author and playwright Kirstie McClellan Day) grips you from the last bars of “O, Canada” and takes you through every sweaty moment of his roller coaster life. She glides you in to the sad family life of a diminutive kid from Russell, Manitoba who, after skating, “took his time getting dressed cause I didn’t want to go home”-  to one of only 90 NHL players who have scored 50 goals in a season and then went on to win a Stanley cup and even a gold medal in the Olympics. For Fleury,  “sports was his salvation and his escape”.

The story is based on the autobiography of Theo Fleury, a book which spent a year on the Canadian bestseller list. His tortured past included the awfulness of a a coach (Graham James) sexually abusing him as a young teen. This led him to years of self-destruction, blowing 50 million dollars on addictions to booze, drugs, strippers and gambling.

To be fully prepared for this part, Shaun Smyth hired a hockey coach to make him a good enough player to meet the expectations of the NHLers he knew would come to see the show. He spent two years practicing, renting ice time and playing pick-up games. If that wasn’t hard enough, imagine skating and acting in a one-man show at the same time (and memorizing 7 different versions of it). He, like Fleury, was fearless playing both jobs.

Director Ron Jenkins, along with set and lighting designer  David Fraser, impossibly make the hockey rink slide into everything from an ambulance/hospital room to a hockey sweater cupboard or a firy inferno. The projections and videos by Corwin Ferguson really illustrate the narrative, whether showing hockey cards of players Fleury is referencing or news stories, prairie scenes or even Calgary “flames”.

A hometown sidebar is the “So You Think You Can Sing O, Canada” contest which was held before the play opened. Contestants submitted a demo, and each night of the show, “O, Canada” starts the performance, sung by a different Montrealer. Come and watch your neighbours trill.

Meeting Theo Fleury on opening night was a privilege. He has become an advocate for abuse victims, giving over 50 lectures a year – even in prisons which include child molesters (now that’s forgiveness!). Fleury said, “We all get addicted to something. We can get rid of stigma. We can all heal“.

Though the play showcased a superstar behaving badly, Theo Fleury the man is a double hero: physically he’s a hero, succeeding in the impossibly tough game of NHL hockey, but he’s also a mental hero who was courageous and strong enough to beat his demons too.

Location 453 St-Francois-Xavier
corner: Notre-Dame
Tel: 514-288-3161
Dates: til Oct 29
Prices: $38.50 – $51.75 (deals for students and seniors)
www.centaurtheatre.com
Metro: Place d’Armes

Q: Where can I go to get packing boxes?

A:  You can get sturdy boxes for FREE at any SAQ outlet but you might have to go to a few or go back a couple of times to get enough. Also the sizes will only be liquor sizes. The grocery stores have boxes. Pharmacies too. You can buy them at Reno Depot type stores or UPS stores.

Imagine you are a pirate climbing the ropes of your ship at sea. Now take that thought and multiply it by a few rope courses with dozens of challenges on each one. You put on a harness and attach yourself by a safety hook to a guide wire to climb like a monkey at Voiles en Voiles.

Aerial courses on the pirate ship in the port of Montreal start at 2 ft high for ages 3-6, where they can climb on hanging ladders, flat nets, a rocking bridge, a footbridge and more. The next level up is 13 ft high, and can be done be 5 year olds and up and challenged doing alternating logs, bridges, and a maze.

The 24 ft high ropes have you passing bags, holding on to hanging logs, and crossing a net, while the double diamond 35 ft challenge has angled discs, jump ropes, logs, hanging beams and a surprise footbridge.

For the wee ones, there’s a climbing wall and at least 1/2 dozen inflatable games. Prices range from $12 for one person for one hour to $89 for a family of four for 2 hours, or a 4-hour package. It takes the full 4 hours to accomplish all of the rope challenges.

Spectators can watch all the fun for free. There’s no charge to sit on the Adirondack chairs and glean a breeze from the St Lawrence River. You can bring or buy some snacks and eat at the picnic tables too.

Location: Old Port of Montreal
Hours: 10 am to 8 pm, weekends and holidays only
Tel: 514-473-1458
www.voilesenvoiles.com

Google Map: Click for map 

There are a few ways to cut costs and take in JFL inexpensively.

Thursday night at 9 pm, Sugar Sammy is doing a Free farewell outdoor concert on Scene Videotron. The Scène Vidéotron will be presenting various activities at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm.

The Street Arts Festival has acts performing for free in and around Place des Arts. The colorful Place de la famille le lait will offer its load of shows and activities, including biking and spinning for kids and all the family, starting a 1:30 pm each day.  You can sit and watch Ecran des Gags Tim Hortons starting at 3pm.

Also for your family entertainment, the V8 Energie Labyrinthe will be open from 6pm from July 26-30 (3pm on weekends).
You can join workshops or watch shows at  Le Petit cabaret de l’Humour at 12:30 pm and 5 pm in Complexe Desjardins from July 21-24 and 28-30.

The NFB #GIFnTAKE  is a new animated experience that puts you front and center of an animated film. You can film by yourself or share the spotlight with a group of friends. The final product will be made into an animated GIF you can share on social media. Find it on the southeast side of Jeanne-Mance and Maisonneuve next to Place-des-Arts Metro station entrance.

At the Zone Mondial des Jeux Loto-Québec set on Maisonneuve Blvd you can get to play various table games and board games. You are invited to play the new and the classic video games.

The Scène Loto-Québec will be hosting shows from 4pm-10pm.

www.hahaha.com

You will have 4 days to jump on this warehouse sale that features so many items and great selection. Stock up on giftware and think ahead for Mother’s and Father’s Day items, BBQ essentials, glassware, cutlery, dishes, lamps and much more.

The merchandise will be samples and discontinued items from Europe and France

You will find brand names such as: Vinturi, Vin Edge, Rosanna, ekobrew, Degrenne Paris, CrystaLite Bohemia, Brilliant, Original Walther Glas from Germany and Cork Pops.

Use the coupon provided below and save $5 on any purchase of $50 and more. Limit one coupon per customer

Location: 960 ave Outremont H2V 4R1 – entrance on rue Manseau on the left side
Corner: rue Manseau
Dates: March 10, 13, 17 & 20
Times: March 10 & 17 10-8, March 13 & 20 10-5
http://www.megaventeoutremont.ca

For those of you reading this near Mississauga, ON, Premium Retail Group always has great prices at their warehouse sales, at least 60-90% off retail for all your casual clothing: denim, jackets, tops, hoodies, dresses, outerwear, footwear and handbags.

There will be over 70,000 units of new inventory and the sale is only while quantities last, so get there early.

At this 5-day sale, expect brands you know for women, men and children: Marchiano, Guess, Jack & Jones, ONLY, Vero Moda, True Religion jeans (for women and kids only).

Location: International Center Hall 6 / 6900 Airport Road, International Center Hall,  Mississauga ON L4V 1E8
Dates: Nov 4-8
Hours: Wed 10-8, Thurs & Fri 11-9, Sat & Sun 11-7

http://www.premiumretailgroup.com
FB: http://on.fb.me/1KIGjQR
Instagram: @premiumretailgroup
Twitter: @whypayretail

This weekend is the annual salute to Jane Jacobs, an activist, writer, and philosopher of architecture and urban planning.  When doing her urban planning, the citizen’s knowledge of an area was extremely important to her in order to build human-scale cities.

S0 back in 2007, in Toronto, an event was held where Free urban walks were offered. Now over one hundred cities in the world give free walks in May. We have dozens here in Montreal. Most are in French, but some are English and a few bilingual, everything from architecture to green spaces to a scavenger hunt and a meditative walk.

You must register online and some are filled up, but don’t despair, there’s spots left from Pointe Claire to Anjou.

Some English ones: Green & Growing: Le Plateau & the Quartier des Spectacles,
– À La pointe claire – visite guidée à pied du Village de Pointe-Claire (bilingue)
– Little Burgundy yesterday and today
– History, Architecture and Taste Tour – Pointe St-Charles and Verdun (bilingual)
– Pioneers of the Picket Line: Lea Roback, Madeleine Parent, and the history of women in the labour movement
– Appreciation Walk : Au Bord de L’Eau
– Walk together with us : Fielding-Walkley 2 hours
– Discover the Lost Island of St. Raymond’s, the MUHC and St. Henri
– Benny Farm Sherbrooke Forest (A world in 6 blocks)
– Randonnée au pied des rapides (bilingue)

http://www.ecologieurbaine.net/

This is the 20th year that this group of artisans have gathered together to show off and sell off their creations. Take advantage of the crisp Fall weather to take a ride out to Baie d’Urfe.

Don’t forget to peek into the Red Barn where, this year, 8 independent entrepreneurs are selling their wares too.  Those of you who pine for fresh from nature products will be delighted to know that Distribution GeoEvoo, who import Greek extra virgin olive oil (directly from their Dad’s family estate in Messinia, Greece) will be there. You can sample the great taste of their first cold pressed olive oil produced by the Geo Ligris Estate. The trees have been in the family for over 100 years.

Location: Baie D’Urfe Curling Club, 63 Churhill Rd
Dates: Oct 18 & 19
Time: 10-4

Montreal is lucky to be one of the cities chosen across Canada to host Etsy, the biggest online marketplace for artisans who sell their collections. The Pop-Up store will be open for only two days, one of 23 across Canada.

Local Etsy merchants will then have a chance to meet and sell to their local market. Etsy creators sell art and products they have made or offer vintage goods.

Location: Technopole Angus, Locoshop Angus, 2600 William-Tremblay St
Time: 11-4
Dates: Sept 27 & 28
www.etsy.com