Wildside Theatre festival melts the cold with its smoldering hot lineup

Abby Elizabeth for Curtains Up

Montreal winters are brutal. The season becomes especially difficult once the holidays are over and we’re left with a sugar addiction, high visa bills and extremely frosty temperatures.

Luckily the city is full of great ideas, creative people and genius collaborations. And…theatre goers who look forward to the unordinary, something a little left of centre.

Saving us from our hermitic tendencies this 2014 is The Wildside Theatre Festival at Centaur. This is the fest’s 17^th season. Geared toward those who appreciate humour, art and cleverness. And those who can cope with a bit of in your face, unconventional shows…. From fundamentalist ex-gays, lethal lipstick and midnight moonshine, preachy-free confessions about virginity, a Danish girl’s guinea pig experiment (you heard me), a hot tamale Chilean revolutionary, and an Iceland with lots of fire and violence on the Vancouver SkyTrain, you’ll find a plethora of shows to dig into.

From award winning musical pieces, to local artists, the festival is inclusive to all and is gaining a lot of positive attention from outside the province.

Centaur invites you to explore the world of art through a variety of entertaining and eye opening performances and installations. The stage productions run from January 3^rd -12^th.

The list of shows and times are listed on the Centaur Theatre Production Website. Performance synopsis included.And something new to coincide with the Festival this year is the Wildside Festival Art Exhibition, a ‘first-come, first-exhibited’ art display for emerging artists. It may be wild but…it is the Wildside Festival, no? And on January 12 between 17h and 19h it’s the Finissage!

So there’s lots to sink your eyes into at the Centaur during the Wildside Festival!

Instead of watching Netflix after work or going to the same bar for your 5 a 7, head over to a show and spice up the New Year with some fantastic art or theatre. There is a reason as to why theatre is one of the longest running forms of entertainment in history. Go get enlightened and brag to your friends about the amazing bougie life you are now leading. Embrace the 2014 and have some fun!

For more information on ticket prices and times: http://www.centaurtheatre.com/wildsidefestival.php