A LITTLE BENT

Seems to be my week for being coaxed out of the house to see things I might otherwise not experience. First up, with writer Farzana Doctor, I attended artist and agitator Gita Hashemi's fine piece of political dialogue at the A Space Gallery, Time Lapsed, about the British-US derailing of Middle Eastern democracy when the legally-elected Iranian leader Mossedeq was ousted in what was to become the blueprint for American political interventions that continues to this day. Then, no less trenchant, last night I went with friend David Tronetti to the Hart House production of Martin Sherman's epoch-making play, Bent, to see our friend Edward Karek as a very unpleasant Nazi. Edward, we hereby crown you The Queen of Nasty.

TIME LAPSED -- A SPACE GALLERY

Attended Gita Hashemi’s Time Lapsed at the A Space Gallery last night with Farzana Doctor. It was a last-minute invite from Far Out Farzana, so I didn’t know what to expect. Turns out it’s a performance work-in-progress about an important period in history that I’ve been writing about tangentially in a book that deals with, among other things, American intervention in the destinies of other nations. Iran, 1953, was the first time the US government, with help from Britain, removed a democratically elected leader from office in what would become a blueprint for interventions that continue to this day: first comes the financial and political destabilization of the country, followed by the demonization of the leader, and ending with his ouster. Sound familiar? When America complains bitterly about the current Iranian monster-president, Ahmadinejad, it strikes me as ironic since their interruption of the democratic process is the reason he’s there now.

COOL CANUCK CHICKS

It was my week to hang out with some very Cool Canuck Chicks. First up was Luba Goy, one of our national icons, whose Luba Simply Luba was on at the Berkeley Theatre. Her one-woman show gave us an afternoon of laughs and joy, Luba-style, as La Goy traced her roots from a German work camp, where she was born and where her parents had been incarcerated, all the way across the waves to Canada. Touching and true. And it didn't hurt to tipple a glass or five with Luba and friends afterwards at the Distillery District.

Next I had the great pleasure to hang out with Farzana Doctor, author of Six Meters of Pavement, currently short-listed for a Lambda Award. We got together mid-week at the 40^th anniversary party of Dundurn Books in the Arts and Letters Club. The Farz and I yucked it up in front of the camera and, amid all the frippery, managed to carry on some pretty feisty conversations about the Recently Single status we've both acquired. If we both go on to gain a Bit Notorious status as well, it won't bother us one bit.

Finally, my week was complete with a long-awaited visit from Canada's reigning Queen of Crime, Gail Bowen, on tour with hubby and long-time companion (44 years!), Ted, while promoting Kaleidoscope, Gail's thirteenth Joanne Kilbourn mystery from M&S. Always the gallant host, Ted stirred and shook a bucketful of martinis, while Gail and I yacked on (and on) about the current state of Canadian publishing, and then some. Not only is she one of the great mystery authors, she's also a terrific gal to know and hang out with!