THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR AS YOU LIKE IT
Where: Metro Studio Theatre, 1411 Quadra St, Victoria, B.C.
When: Oct. 10-12
Tickets: $30 ($25 for students/alumni) from tickets.uvic.ca
Why: Four performances of Cliff Cardinal’s acclaimed one-man show, The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It are on tap this week — two of which have sold-out in advance. You’ll want to move quickly if you’re hoping to catch the latest installment of UVic’s Voices in Circle series, as Cardinal’s funny and heartfelt take on land acknowledgements (which won the 2023 Governor General’s literary award for drama) has been winning rave reviews across the country since 2022. It’s no wonder why: Cardinal, a playwright and actor of Cree and Lakota heritage, is a superstar. Highest recommendation.
CARLOS NÚÑEZ
Where: Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave., Sidney
When: Thursday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $56.18 from 250-656-0275 or marywinspear.ca
Why: The man known as the Jimi Hendrix of the bagpipes hails from Galicia, the Celtic region of Spain, where he learned to play the gaita (a traditional Galician bagpipe) along with several flutes and whistles native to the area. He has collaborated with The Chieftains, Jackson Browne and Ry Cooder, fusing flamenco and Celtic music on his way to a pair of Latin Grammy Award nominations and performances at Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall. Núñez is appearing in Sidney tonight with a five-piece band that should impress, including a renowned percussionist, guitarist, and champion fiddler and step dancer. Several guests from Nanaimo, master piper René Cusson and members of the CeltFest dance troupe, will join the festivities, making this can’t-miss entertainment.
CURIOSITIES OF CRAIGDARROCH
Where: Craigdarroch Castle, 1050 Joan Cres., Victoria
When: Oct. 11-Nov. 17
Tickets: $32 from 250-592-5323 or thecastle.ca
Why: Tickets are vanishing in ghost-like fashion for Curiosities of Craigdarroch, a spooky after-hours tour of the beloved Craigdarroch Castle. The 90-minute event premieres Friday and runs through Nov. 17, with guided tours from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Extra shows have been added around Halloween, which is fitting: This show aimed at adults comes with some Poe-like twists and turns, many of which are centred around the true-to-life tales of the former owners, coal baron Robert Dunsmuir and his family, who built and lived in the castle that is now a national historic site.
