When I was asked to write a review for Counter Offense, I was hesitant. Being an Iranian Canadian, and a survivor of domestic abuse, I knew the play would take me on a convoluted and emotional journey. So naturally I invited an emotional support friend to join me. He's born to Iranian Indian parents and a cinematographer, and we planned to discuss the play while comparing notes after.

Erik Fines has been a fixture of the Montreal indie scene for several years now. It’s a rare night of the week that Erik isn’t found out and about engaging with the local scene, gigging with various bands, or curating the popular weekly open mic at Bar Courcelle deep in the heart of Saint Henri.

My love for live stand up comedy bloomed at the Just for Laughs Festival (JFL) many summers ago. I was swept up by the magic comedians can create with only a few ingredients, primarily a microphone and a room full of lovely people. When I got on stage for the first time my love only deepened.

This spring, stand-up comedy fans will have a NEW festival to express their love and appreciation for the craft. Better yet, if it's your first time, you may just fall in love as I did. Enter: GIGGLEFEST.

By the time you read this, we've already sprung forward. As such, I'm effectively writing this in a different timezone than you're reading this in, which is weird. We rarely really stop to think about how we're time and space travelers…

Because You Never Asked is a dreamlike interdisciplinary work where historical fact meets auto-fictional storytelling in a multilayered, intergenerational experience.

The Diving Bell Social Club is a space fit for the impressive collage of events it hosts. When I first went to the Diving Bell on a cold winter night, its unique nature was immediately evident. After climbing a sizable set of stairs I was through the looking glass, and into a vibrant world where drag queens host fun-filled trivia nights.

Spend your energy wisely. Keep your head high AF. Listen to your gut.

YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. The audience watches from the tiled bar and tightly packed seating area of La Marche à Côté. Read whatever you like—whether your poetry is slam, literary, free verse, iambic pentameter, or experimental. Read in any language; beyond French and English, it’s not uncommon to hear performances in Spanish, German, Italian—you name it—as part of a multilingual venture. You can read poetry written by yourself or a favourite poet. You can even recite song lyrics or make it all up as you go. The only rule at Accent is that you must not exceed your allotted time.

A play. Me. Abby Stonehouse. Since when? Honestly, I was a little nervous because, okay look, I've always imagined people who see plays have a higher digit in the IQ scale. But that's trauma for another time. What. A. Rough. Beast. I feel seen. And I am smart enough?

To visit The Artloft for the first time is to be initiated into a secret little society—one that would have you transported into a world of passionate presence, creativity and human connection.