Beautiful day...

I had a surprise brunch with a fellow fellow followed by a stroll through my funky new neighbourhood. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and only around zero (all the locals just thought is was freezing and I had to open my jacket...) It was just one of those beautiful-feels-like-winters-over days that in Canada you get in March. I'm not saying winter is over, even here, but it just filled my heart (that is so corny, but true!). It is always better when the sun is shining.

I saw a matinee of a play at Studio Theatre - now just a few blocks from me at one of my favourite intersections, 14th and P. The play was called In the Red and Brown Water and was by a young black writer from Florida. He used some imagery from the Cuban Orishas (gods) and played with some interesting structure to his writing. I mention that he's a black writer because here everything is so black and white. It's so extreme. I went with my friend Damion and he said he just wanted to see a black play without death in it. I said I just want to see "white" plays with some black actors in them. Here it seems all the work they get is in "black" plays. I realize it's hard enough in Canada, but I don't think it's quite this extreme. Today's had a couple of excellent actors in it, some of the best I've seen in my time here. The lead reminded me of a young Raven Dauda - she had the same power that Raven does, but less polished. What I thought was good though was how diverse the audience was, and this is a good sign I think. Of course it was a pay what you can preview (I am on a budget!) and so I think that brought out a lot of young people, but it was good to see all ages and colours in the audience. Something we in Canada could do better.