Skip to main content

Letterkenny.The Globe and Mail

JFL NorthWest: Maria Bamford

Her Netflix series is Lady Dynamite, and, yeah, Maria Bamford is a blast. The veteran stand-up comedian, whose material often touches on her experience with mental illness, is having a well-deserved moment on the strength of a show that is surreal and wild, but soulful to its core. Bamford is one of the headliners of a third annual event that offers films and industry panels in addition to sets from Bill Burr, Trevor Noah, Jay Pharoah, Nikki Glaser and more. March 1 to 10 (Maria Bamford, March 3), at various Vancouver venues.

Pepperland

The act you've known for all these years? Not quite. Making its Canadian premiere is Mark Morris Dance Group's Pepperland, the acclaimed American choreographer's jazzy tribute to the Beatles' mind-blowing 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Theremin music happens, A Day in a Life is reimagined, When I'm Sixty-Four gets the kick-line treatment and Henry the Horse may or may not dance the waltz. Feb. 24, at Toronto's Sony Centre.

Letterkenny Live

Binge-watching is for the lazy. To get the full Letterkenny experience, the stars of the hit rural Canadiana comedy series bring the show to stage with new sketches with Letterkenny characters and stand-up sets by the gifted actor-comedians K. Trevor Wilson and Mark Forward. Touring nationally, Feb. 27 to April 6, starting at Halifax's Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.

Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival

Bruce McCulloch's new one-man show is Tales of Bravery and Stupidity, which is probably as self-explanatory and autobiographical as his previous winner, Young Drunk Punk, which went on to become the basis for a television series. McCulloch, of Kids in the Hall fame, headlines a sketch festival that also brings in the knock 'em dead dames of Women Fully Clothed (Robin Duke, Kathryn Greenwood, Teresa Pavlinek and Jayne Eastwood). March 1 to 11, at various Toronto venues.

Salon Series: Diversity or Empathy?

While on tour with the Tragically Hip as the band's photographer, David Bastedo was not only taking pictures, but taking notes too. Drawing on his experience with the iconic rock group and its late front man and activist Gord Downie, Bastedo speaks about the galvanizing power of artistry and how it can be used create the space for empathy and generate social change. Feb. 28, at Toronto's 2nd Floor Events.

Stratford Perth Museum’s general manager says the newly opened Justin Bieber exhibit tells the story of the star’s life through pictures, awards and childhood items. The Steps to Stardom exhibit runs until the end of the year

The Canadian Press

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe