Aftermath Sessions: Vol. 3

We Survived. (And, as far as we know, so did everyone else.)

Like the series finale of The Sopranos, it is suddenly over. Ruckus Readings Volume III: Don't Ruck it Up Now was more exciting than a Micheal Bay movie (and a good one, too, I'm not even going to waste time comparing it to a lump of stainless steel turd like Transformers 2), and had more heart than the first Kelly Clarkson album.

It was magical.

For those of you out there who missed it: I'm so sorry that your grandmother passed away/your airplane crashed into the side of a mountain in eastern Europe/you were suckered into a Lord of the Rings trilogy extended edition marathon. Because otherwise, I mean, I can't think of why you would have been anywhere else.

M.K. Morris woke up the neighbours with her ingeniously interactive rendition of "Steven Myerschmidt Bites the Big One;" Christine Bernier rocked her way through the night with covers of artists like Sleeping with Sirens, Britney Spears, and George Watsky (yep, that George Watsky); we saw cameo appearances from not one, but two Ruckus Alumni (Nicholas Daniel Michelis and Daniel Scott Tysdal, for those of you stamping your bingo cards); and Nicole Chardenet raised the rating to at least PG-13 with her plastic-boobed take on a portion of her newest novel, Sumer Lovin'. (And you know what? I'm not even going to explain how that one happened - that's your punishment for missing the reading.)

Now is the time to mourn your bad life choices, friends. Now is the time to weep over having lain down with Netflix and Skittles rather than trotting down to The Only to see the show. Luckily, however, redemption is close at hand.

Our next reading will be taking place SEPTEMBER 29th, at 7 PM, located in the one and ONLY CAFE (972 Danforth - but you knew that by now.) Slowly, with pieces of stale bread and pages of Donald Barthelme, we are luring our next cast of readers and performers out of the woods and into our den of vice and lunacy quite pleasant company.

Keep your radio dials locked!

... To "off," where they've probably been for the past few decades, and keep checking your browser of choice for further announcements on both RUCKUS READINGS VOLUME IV (tentative title: "A Fource to be Ruckoned with"), and on a few big projects we have coming down the pipes/tubes/playplace slides...

You won't want to miss 'em.

Interview Sessions: Volume 3.3

Nicole Chardenet: Not Safe for the Taliban.

If Nicole already looks familiar to those of you who have previously attended a Ruckus Reading, you may know her as Marlon Brando. At Ruckus Readings Vol. II, she was the lucky volunteer who gave an electrifying turn as the heartthrob actor after composing a poem at the behest of reader Daniel Scott Tysdal. And if you didn't get a chance to catch that, then you're still in luck: she will be reading for us from her newest novel this Sunday.

Nicole, we are pleased to report, came over to us here in Canada from the dark side (To readers who may not immediately get that: I mean America. (To our American readers: ha ha ha just kidding.)) In 2005, Nicole moved up North to Toronto. She "likes to tell conservatives it was all for the socialism but really, it was for better beer."

Either way, we're lucky to have her. Nicole describes herself as a "humorous fantasy author," and it only takes a quick peek at either of her novels to get a sense of what that means. "Zany" might be a good way to describe Nicole's trademark sense of humour. It's on the edge of pop culture, it's fun, it's guffaw-worthy - and it's so much more than that. 

Nicole's first novel, "Young Republican, Yuppie Princess," is the tale of a right-leaning, all-American gal and her three Dungeons and Dragons-loving friends (how embarrassing), who have to brave a pseudo-medieval alternate universe in order to rescue a proverbial damsel in distress. It ain't all fun and games, though: black magic, swordplay, and a "stupid prince who sounds like DeNiro on steroids" aren't making things any easier. Ye shall laffe, ye shall crye, ye shall love "Young Republican, Yuppie Princess!" [ED.'S NOTE: No, we're not sure if that was supposed to be medieval, either.]

Her most recent work, "Sumer Lovin'" (And yes, that's Sumer, not summer - think ancient Sumeria) comes to us courtesy of Deux Voiliers Publishing, and brings the fun a little closer to home with a story set in Toronto. When a strange earthquake hits the city, things start to change - and not in a "new bike lanes" way, either. All of a sudden, a fountain of youth pops up downtown, portals to the underworld are opening up faster than new sushi joints, a gorgeous woman is stalking and seducing Toronto's virgin men (with horrifying consequences), and a Jewish matchmaker from New York has to help solve everything. And if you want to find out how, well... you'll have to read the novel. 

If you want to know more, you have a few options: Miss Chardenet, who we can personally attest is a pleasure to meet in person, also has an excellent personal website where you can learn more about her, buy her books, or meet Belladonna, her partner in crime/henchkitty. She can be found on Twitter (@Nchardenet), Facebook, LinkedIn, or.... you can just read the interview below.

Right out of the box, tell us: how would you describe your writing to someone who hasn't ever read it before? (For bonus points: if it came with a safety warning, what would that warning be?)

I write humorous fantasy fiction, particularly for folks who are tired of fantasy fiction. In the process I like to take pokes at everyone and everything. In my first novel, Young Republican, Yuppie Princess, I had a go at ‘80s yuppies and Young Republicans, not to mention having some fun with all the stock characters of your average swords ‘n’ sorcery novel. Like a prince who's a total dirtball (kinda like Prince Humperdinck but not nearly as refined), a witch who’s a Goddess-worshipping feminazi – take that, all you ‘feminist’ historical revisionists who write silly, unhistorical books about alleged ancient matriarchies and Goddess worshippers!), a wizard who’s also a heavy metal aficionado (yeah – WTF?!?! There’s an explanation) and Conan-style tribal warriors, except only half as smart or good-looking. In Sumer Lovin’, my most recent novel, I brought the story to modern-day Toronto, the most romantically-challenged city in North America, as we follow several characters in their search for love (and occasionally lust), complicated by a band of demons and other bizarre denizens of ancient Sumeria who are released onto the relentlessly normal city from the Underworld via an earthquake.

Along the way I have my wicked way with Americans, Canadians, New Agers, women-hating men, men-hating women, and the city of Toronto, which is a wonderful place to live but in the immortal words of Jack Nicholson's Joker, “What this town needs is an enema!

SAFETY WARNING: Not safe for humourless uber-lefties or uber-righties, Islamophobes, anti-Semites, aging virgins, the Taliban, or scorpion aficionadoes.

Can you remember the first time an writer's work really reached out and grabbed you? If so, who were they, and what about their writing caught your attention?

The first author for whom I became a rabid fan was Dr. Seuss. Loved the stories, loved the whip-quick rhymes, loved most of all the outrageously fantastical illustrations and environments. What kid wouldn’t fall in love with fuzzy trees, castles and buildings on tiny little hills defying the law of gravity (not to mention local building codes!) and anthropomorphic creatures who wanted to be your friend? Was there any awesomer birthday celebration than in Happy Birthday To You!, especially that wicked cool fountain the birthday boy dove into, in his birthday suit? How ‘bout all the cool pets you could have in One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish? Or the trouble Horton goes through to save his Who? I still secretly jones for a Collected Works of Dr. Seuss collection. Santa...?

In your own work, are there any themes, images, or characters (etc.) that you find yourself drawn to, intentionally or otherwise? What are they? Why do you think they resonate with you?
I will steal take inspiration from just about anything. I have wide and varied interests so I will beg, borrow, and st--er, acquire--from anything that strikes me as odd, unusual, interesting or funny. I've been a practicing Pagan (I hope to go pro some day) for more than twenty years and I decided to put all that weird arcane knowledge to good use, so you will find many paranormal or occult themes in my novels. I love Toronto, having lived here for eight years, so I like to feature well-known locations around the city. Toronto's got a well-deserved reputation for being a bit tightassed, which is why I greatly enjoyed sic'ing a red-hot drop-dead gorgeous ancient hellbabe on its hapless population in Sumer Lovin'.

If there's one thing that you'd like people to feel, or to take away from your writing, what is it?
A really good laugh. Including several really guilty chuckles that make you think, as a Canadian, you’re probably going to hell for that, because I said something that might piss off (or, 'offend) some overly-P.C. Canadian somewhere. I’m not afraid to say what’s on my mind and I know I often say things that other Canadians privately think but don’t want to say out loud because they don’t want to take the caca for it. For example: I spoofed First Nations land claims and protests with a band of ancient agitators downtown who emerge from the Bank of America building, and their uber-lefty overly politically-correct defenders. I do support Native rights, of course, like every good Canadian, but it's near-impossible to have an adult conversation about Native issues with white guilt-ridden so-far-to-the-left-even-Fidel-Castro-can’t-see-you Canadians shrieking about how Natives have suffered and residential schools and blah blah blah. Yeah, we all know the history, can we please talk rationally about the present and the future for once?

Sorry, just can’t help being a bit of a firebrand. It’s the American in me. I’m still kinda new to this Canadian thing, having been here for only eight years and a citizen for about three months. It’s still easier for me to offend than to be offended. I’ll have to work on that.

Just for fun, give me a pairing: one of your favourite works/authors and one of your favourite beverages (alcoholic or not). Why do they go together? How do they complement one another?
THAT'S OFFENSIVE!!! Oops, sorry, was just practicing being a Canadian. Let’s see, I’m a big fan of David Copperfield, which no one actually forced me to read, and I have also developed a taste for flavoured martinis, and that’s all Canada’s fault because in the States I had to drive, not that I had much surplus cash to drink with anyway. I’m not really sure how martinis are like David Copperfield, except that they’re rich and flavourful and David Copperfield eventually did well for himself and no one can argue that his novels aren’t chock-full of well-drawn, wickedly memorable characters, like the chronically ‘lorn widow Mrs. Gummidge, or the eternally optimistic Mr. Macawber, or Dumb Dora, or sweet, noble, gentle Agnes, or Tommy Trammell with his ridiculous hair. So, of course, chocolate martinis are memorably chocolatey, and sour apple martinis are teeth-on-edge delightful, and fruity martinis are tropically adventurous, and cosmopolitans make you look like one of those Sex & The City wankers.

Then again, David Copperfield won’t make you fat or so drunk you do something majorly embarrassing in front of your boss and all the senior managers at the office Christmas party, so really, you’re better off with David Copperfield.

Any chance you'll give us a little hint at what you'll be reading on the 25th?
I'll be acting out a scene from Sumer Lovin' in which Lamashtu, an ancient Sumerian demi-goddess and reigning hellbeast, attempts to seduce a 35-year-old virgin on a park bench in Nathan Phillips Square. Expect some faux semi-nudity (sorry, you'll have to attend to find out what 'faux semi-nudity' really means). Daniel Tysdal, who performed his own piece at the July Ruckus Readings, and who appears to have not a shred of inhibition, has agreed to play my aging virgin. And my friend Gord Jeoffroy will read some of the narration.

Last question: give us a short (less than 75 words) third-person bio blurb about yourself which covers any awards/distinctions you're proud of and what you're tackling right now.
Nicole Chardenet doesn't submit her work for many awards because she's afraid if she wins the Giller Prize people will think it's really literary and therefore it's gonna suck. Like a novel with a Mesopotamian nympho has a shot at the Giller, but whatever. Her next novel will also smite Toronto with sexual paranormal weirdness, so be forewarned.

Interview Sessions: Volume 3.2

MK Morris: You'll Laugh, But You'll Feel Immediately Guilty About It.

She's a writer. She's a filmmaker. She is a self-described "burrito enthusiast." (We have the same qualification on our resumes!) She is MK Morris. 

It was her keen comedian's sense for punchlines that first grabbed us (we can't wait to hear her piece live), but her art goes so much deeper than snappy zingers. With humour that is a little tongue-in-cheek, and a critical eye for the world around us, MK's work will make you think (just as soon as you've finished laughing). 

As you may be able to gather from her list of credentials, MK is a busy woman. The short story she submitted to us, "Steven Myerschmidt Bites the Big One," is now (perhaps unsurprisingly, all things considered) being toured around the film festival circuit, and we can only imagine how fantastically MK's sharp writing style has translated to the screen. She also maintains a Twitter presence under the handle @mk_morris, a youtube channel under the less-obvious handle NotTallAtAll, and has a demo reel up on Vimeo (just in case you're interested in bringing her on board to your own film projects).

How will she find time to read for us on Sunday? Well, we're expecting her to be reading from a director's chair as she squints into a camera lens, stopping repeatedly to yell things like "Cut!," "Rolling!," and "I'll be in my trailer!" ....which, on its own, would be worth seeing. 

We may not have an on-set catering service available this Sunday at The Only Cafe, but we do have an excellent selection of beer, coffee, tea, and literature - and if you're hungry for a little somethin' somethin' now, MK answered a few questions for us about herself and her work, that you can read below.

Right out of the box, tell us: how would you describe your writing to someone who hasn't ever read it before? (For bonus points: if it came with a safety warning, what would that warning be?)

Generally my works tend towards a comedy where people die – but it’s funny, I swear.


Warning: you’ll laugh but feel immediately guilty about it.


Can you remember the first time a writer's work really reached out and grabbed you? If so, who were they, and what about their writing caught your attention?


Joss Whedon is probably someone who first sparked my interest in writing. I usually write for film, prose is actually something I find very difficult. Something about Joss Whedon’s distinctive style, playing with genre, and subverting audience expectation really spoke to the type of writing I wanted to do. (However I managed to interpret this in my 10-year old’s mind though). Novel-wise, I’d definitely have to say Terry Pratchett. I actually recently found a “novel” that I wrote when I was about 12 (it was about 30 pages long), that was so clearly influenced by Terry Pratchett – it was absolutely riddled with footnotes and “clever” phrases.


In your own work, are there any themes, images, or characters (etc.) that you find yourself drawn to, intentionally or otherwise? What are they? Why do you think they resonate with you?
Schmucks. Unfortunate average people. I love superhero movies, but I think that super things happening to incredibly average people is kind of more interesting.

If there's one thing that you'd like people to feel, or to take away from your writing, what is it?
Enjoyment. Hopefully. Maybe?


Just for fun, give me a pairing: one of your favourite works/authors and one of your favourite beverages (alcoholic or not). Why do they go together? How do they complement one another?
American Gods by Neil Gaiman and a whisky sour. Drink whilst reading and you’ll look super classy.


Any chance you'll give us a little hint at what you'll be reading on the 25th?

A comedy in which someone dies. I’m sorry, I’m terribly predictable.


Last question: give us a short (less than 75 words) third-person bio blurb about yourself which covers any awards/distinctions you're proud of and what you're tackling right now.

MK Morris is a Toronto-based writer, creative producer, filmmaker, and burrito enthusiast. The short film based on her short story Steven Myerschmidt Bites the Big One is making the festival circuit, to (hopefully) many accolades. She is currently working on getting her TV show, Mama’s Green Tea, picked up, which won first place at Raindance’s Live!Ammunition! Pitch competition, with her writing partner Kaleigh Sutton.

Interview Sessions: Volume 3.1

Christine Bernier: Read All Instructions Before Use.

Full disclosure, here: Christine Bernier was one of the very first artists on our radar. When we were putting together the first Ruckus (which we here at Ruckus HQ lovingly refer to as "Readers of the Lost Ark"), Christine dropped us a line to offer her support. Having attended one of her shows before, we could attest to her excellent voice, her fantastic musicality, and her envious ability to create songs or cover them with equal skill. We were equally flattered and excited. Further full disclosure, here: Christine Bernier was also the first time we screwed up and missed replying to an email. .....whoops.

With that in mind, we could not be more thrilled that Christine is going to be playing for us at RR Vol. III: Don't Ruck it up Now! Even if you're not a fan of great beer, exceptional coffee, phenomenal readers, and an emcee who looks great in a tie, you won't want to miss Sunday's show: Christine's music defies labels, and there are no genres she won't explore, which makes for a hell of a set. When she covers songs, she gives a new edge to old favourites with her own dash of style, and her heartbreaking/slightly-smokey/insistent/Arcade Fire-approved (yep, seriously -- see interview question #5) voice; when she writes her own, she brings an intimate personal touch to the lyrics, and a delicate quality to the music that will stay with you long after the songs have ended.

Want a preview of the kind of magic Christine is going to be bringing to the Only Cafe this Sunday? Her Youtube channel, which can be found here, provides a tantalizing sample of Christine's work. Her original song, "We'll See," evokes the relaxed, reflective tones of Jack Johnson, and the vocal nuance of Alanis Morrissette. Her cover of Train's "Soul Sister" reaches new heights, providing a slightly more mournful and emotionally complex take on the radio smash hit. And this medley of Britney Spears songs, which she provides a take on, must be heard to be believed. (Final full disclosure: it has been on repeat on my computer for the entirety of writing this article.)

And as a primer for her performance on Sunday, we also got Christine to put down her guitar for a few minutes and answer some questions for us about her music and her influences (like you didn't see this coming). Read, be amazed, and we'll see you on the 25th!

Right out of the box, tell us: how would you describe your music to someone who hasn't ever heard it before? (For bonus points: if it came with a safety warning, what would that warning be?)

I don't have a proper way to describe my music... I've been called country/indie/rock but I also throw in some jazz and rap once in a while. Safety warning would be "read all instructions before use."

Can you remember the first time an artist's work really reached out and grabbed you, either lyrically or musically? If so, who were they, and what about their work caught your attention?

I honestly can't remember the first time it happened.

In your own work, are there any themes, chords, patterns (etc.) that you find yourself drawn to, intentionally or otherwise? What are they? Why do you think they resonate with you?

I'm often drawn to writing about sadness because it's an emotion everyone experiences but no one talks about. When someone is sad they usually withdraw from other people, so in my music I like to open up about those feelings to establish a human connection.

If there's one thing that you'd like people to feel, or to take away from your music, what is it?

Honesty. Everything I write (with the exception of only one song) is the 100% honest truth about things that have happened to me or emotions that I've felt, and I want everyone to feel that honest emotion coming through.

Just for fun, give me a pairing: one of your favourite bands/albums and one of your favourite beverages (alcoholic or not). Why do they go together? How do they complement one another?

Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker and Jagerbombs. They both represent organized chaos.

Any chance you'll give us a little hint at what you'll be playing on the 25th?

Some originals and some covers. A definite mix of styles for the night.

Last question: give us a short (less than 75 words) third-person bio blurb about yourself which covers any awards/distinctions you're proud of and what you're tackling right now.

Christine has always been singing. She plays multiple instruments - mostly guitar and saxophone - and has always found a way to keep music in her life. She was president of the UTSC Music Ambassadors Program for three years and has performed all over Toronto. Tim Kingsbury from Arcade Fire once told her she had a great voice, so that's pretty cool. She is currently working on new material to perform.

Ruckus Readings Volume III: Don't Ruck It Up Now!

What's that? You've been waiting to hear when the next Ruckus event is going to be announced? It seems like the organizers have been slacking on getting this notice up, because it's already August 16th and you haven't seen this part of the website updated in like, forever?

Alright, alright. We get it already. Nonetheless, we hope you are prepared for the tremendous and tenuous glory that will be RUCKUS READINGS VOLUME III: Don't Ruck It Up Now!

When?
SUNDAY AUGUST 25th, 2013 at 7:00 PM

Where?
The Only Cafe, 972 Danforth Avenue

Why?
Because you're sad summer is ending and The Only offers $5 pints after 5 PM on Sundays and because the host of our show is pretty handsome and hilarious and because you can't wait to hear the newest writing from the readers we haven't announced yet, nor the most recent tunes of our musician who has not yet been revealed. 

Also because these posters:

We hope to see you there.

Interview Sessions: Volume 2.5

Maggie Thistle: "Less 'emo-vampire-teen' and more 'Courtney Love circa 1993'."

How to best describe Maggie Thistle? This is the question we've been asking ourselves for the past few hours.
Talented? Of course.
Clever? Absolutely.
Charming? Sure, if you think that dry wit, a serene demeanor, and a finger on the pulse of culture is charming. (So: yes.)

But none of these things really comes close to capturing the essence of the reticent, red-haired riddle that is Maggie. Here in the Ruckus basement offices, after a maddeningly long afternoon of attempting to put a thumb down on a decent description, the bit that follows is the closest we've been able to come to really painting an accurate picture of our fourth and final reader for the July 28th show. It is an intimate, if imagined, portrait of a life in the day of a woman we admire and respect. Please enjoy. (Also, Christopher Nolan, if you're reading this, please feel free to get in touch about the film rights.)

FADE IN:

Toronto, at night. A few lone streetlights glow weakly. We zoom into a grungy alleyway. Three punks have an orphan up against the brick wall.. They shove him intermittently, and we can hear the usual assortment of threats and blue language directed toward the poor kid. In his arms, the orphan clutches a canvas. 

PUNK 1: Come on, kid! Your perspective is all wrong! You think that's how a human leg would look from that vantage point?

PUNK 2: Your colour choices could also use work in my opinion.

PUNK 2 shoves the orphan again. Suddenly, we see a flash of movement from above. Into the frame drops BAT-MAGGIE, a woman dressed in an intimidating (if well-coordinated) outfit, a shock of red hair dangling from her cowl. She growls politely: 

BAT-MAGGIE: Let the kid go.

The PUNKS turn away from the orphan, and assume aggressive positions toward BAT-MAGGIE. BAT-MAGGIE moves quick as lightning, and delivers an enormous roundhouse kick to each of their chins with the bottom of her tasteful battle-flat (functional AND fashionable!). The PUNKS fall to the ground, out cold. 

ORPHAN: Gee, thanks *pitiful cough* Bat-Maggie!

BAT-MAGGIE: No problem, kiddo.

BAT-MAGGIE takes a glance at the ORPHAN'S painting. 

BAT-MAGGIE: ... I would have made different colour choices on this, though.

---FIN---

Okay, so Aaron Sorkin we are certainly not. Regardless, this is a pretty decent way of thinking about Maggie: part badass mystery, part benevolent artist, all wrapped up in one fashionable package - complete with battle-flats! (ED.'S NOTE: No, battle-flats are not actually a thing. (Yet.))

All jokes aside, Maggie is a young artist worth keeping an eye on. Though we are focusing on her writing, Maggie is also a talented visual artist and well educated in Art History, having interned for Luminato and placed in Art Writing competitions in the past few years. She's also a mom, which leads us to believe that she somehow has access to hours of the day that most people are not allowed to use (barring that, we have no idea how she could possibly accomplish everything she does).

Her fiction is balancing act between electric imagery and a deep-seated authorial compassion that binds you to the characters she writes about. With Maggie's writing, the heartbreak is often in the details - she has a talent for knowing exactly which minute points to focus on at pivotal moments in her stories in order to emotionally invest a reader more fully in her work. Combine that with a sense of humour that, when it needs to be, is sharp as a whip, and you have an author whose work never fails to win over the uninitiated. Of course, why bother hearing us talk about it when could get a profile straight from the author herself? Check out our interview with Maggie below.

1) To give people who have never experienced your work before an idea of what they’re getting themselves into (and in the cinematic spirit of ‘famous sequels’), riddle me this: If your body of work was a Hollywood movie, what would it be about, what genre of film would it be, and who would star?

If my body of work was a Hollywood movie, it would be documentary meets musical meets film noir meets manga. Obviously Raquel Welch would play me, (the resemblance being uncanny) but it would also star Christopher Walken and have cameo appearances by Tarantino and Burt Reynolds.

2) And (most importantly), what would its 80s-action-blockbuster style tagline be?
“Serenity now, Insanity later…”

3) Can you identify when it was that you really began to write (seriously or otherwise)? Was there anyone or anything that inspired you to start writing?
I have been writing ever since I can remember (my first completed classic being a completely illustrated 23 page epic about a killer whale named Kayla) and I am lucky enough to have had consistent encouragement. I was a shy child so writing allowed me the opportunity to say what I wanted without having to actually participate socially. Initially, I was much more focused on my visual art work but as I grew older, I began to gravitate more towards writing as my craft of choice. Ani Difranco and Kerouac could probably be named my earliest writing inspirations.

4) Now that you’ve gotten a little older, are there any themes or images you find yourself coming back to? If so, what are they, and why do you think resonate with you?
I tend to focus on colour and texture, perhaps because of my visual art training. Colour is something that is so vital to description but also highly interpretative so I think I like to play around with the dualities, inconsistencies and manipulations of it. I also focus a lot on the theme of endings, specifically where one thing ends and another begins, and the relationship (whether broken or continuous) of the two. There tends to be a solid dose of angst in my writing as well, but in a way that is, hopefully, much less “emo-vampire-teen” and more “Courtney Love circa 1993”.

5) In the works of other authors, are there any particular subjects or styles you are drawn towards? For that matter, are there any writers who you specifically admire?

I admire anyone who is ballsy enough to sit down and write something with the intent of having others want to read it. It’s not always an easy process and I think writers don’t get enough praise for their required brazenness.

6) Moving away from written work for a moment: what sorts of things do you do when you’re not writing?

Sleep. Drink. Parent. Cook. Hike. Gallery Hop. (The order of these activities vary depending on the day)

7) In the booze-friendly spirit of Ruckus, give us a pairing: one of your favourite works/authors and one of your favourite beverages (alcoholic or not). Why do they go together? How do they complement one another?

There should be a drink named “The Atwood”. It would be one part Canadian Club Whiskey, one part screech, one part club soda, a touch of lemon juice and a maraschino cherry to package it all together.

8) Can you give us a little written trailer of what you’re going to be reading on July 28th?
I am not sure yet but it will most likely be reading the nutritional information listings from the back of my favourite breakfast cereal boxes.

9) Last question: give us a short (less than 75 words) third-person bio blurb about yourself which covers any awards/distinctions you're proud of and what you're tackling right now.

Maggie Thistle holds a BA in Art History and English from the University of Toronto. In 2012 she was awarded second place in Canadian Art Magazine’s Annual Art Writing competition with her review of Grayson Perry’s exhibition and publication, “The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman.” She has recently completed an internship with the Luminato Festival, where two of her pieces, a reverse Proust Questionnaire and a Pros and Con’s argument (subject Booze vs. Pot) were featured in the daily festival newspaper. She is currently attempting to expand her knitting skills beyond the sole production of scarves while also scouring the world for solid work experience and contemplating graduate school.


It is our extreme pleasure to also announce that Maggie will be reading not only once, but twice on July 28th: As one of the distinguished winners of the UTSC creative writing contest, she will first be reading for the UTSC Creative Writing Showcase at 5pm, then later for RUCKUS VOL. II at 7pm. Twice as nice, at half the price! (Free divided by two = still free.)

Interview Sessions: Volume 2.4

Lucy Rose Coren: Wit, (Wine) and Wisdom

If you're interested in having your thumb on the pulse of what is up and coming (and wonderful) in the Canadian theatre world, then you should definitely keep reading. We are going to introduce you to a lady named Lucy Rose Coren. Though she is still just a hot-out-of-the-oven graduate from the University of Toronto, Lucy is already a very accomplished stage director and playwright. In her last year of high school, she won an award for being the Best Original Playwright at the Sears Drama Festival for her play, There Ain't No Sanity Clause. With a regretfully self-acknowledged knack for clever titles, Lucy's newer work won over another panel of judges at U of T's Hart House Theatre Company in 2011, earning the privilege of having her play performed in their much-adored, much-coveted venue. This year, she also served as Assistant Director of Hart House's hilariously hip-hop production of Romeo and Juliet.

Let the glasses and the charming I've-read-pretty-much-everything smile she is sporting in her photograph fool you — what you assume probably won't be too far off. At twenty-three, we'd be willing to bet that Lucy has seen more plays and read more books than many people do in like, seventeen lifetimes. Lucy's awareness of her ancestry as a writer and thinker, which she's cultivated through reading, is evident in her work. She knows what's been said, thought and done before (i.e. almost everything) by her predecessors, as well as how well they have done it (hello, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare). As a result, her work has a kind of lightness to it, an it's-not-even-possible-to-take-myself-too-seriously vibe that is neither lazy or reactionary. With her sharp wit and clever humor, Lucy's work humorously explores the difficulties of being young, intelligent, sensitive, and alive to all life's inevitable tragedies and desires that have been explored again and again over centuries but which still demand to be felt, witnessed, written about. The self-conscious and self-questioning nature of her work allows her to meet and address an attitude of skepticism and disillusionment that fails to eradicate our real need for belief and truth — even if it sometimes is illusionary. Though her themes may be dark and deep, Lucy's work remains hilariously fun, sharp, insightful and full of hope.

If that's not enough to convince you that you absolutely have to make it out to see Lucy read on July 28th, here is one more reason. In early August, she is flying off to New Zealand for a while to farm kiwis and make cheese or something, which means this will be your last chance to see her for quite some time. (Don't worry. Her friends are totally not upset about this.) So do come!

Here is what Lucy had to tell us about herself and her work.

1) To give people who have never experienced your work before an idea of what they’re getting themselves into (and in the cinematic spirit of ‘famous sequels’), riddle me this: If your body of work was a Hollywood movie, what would it be about, what genre of film would it be, and who would star?

Oh definitely something written and directed by Michael Haneke. Misanthropic. Dark. Sexually twisted.

No, it would probably be an action movie. And it would be extremely well written. And star Sylvester Stallone..

I just really want to write Expendables 3.

2) And (most importantly), what would its 80s-action-blockbuster style tagline be?

"People said it shouldn't happen..."

3) Can you identify when it was that you really began to write (seriously or otherwise)? Was there anyone or anything that inspired you to start writing?

I always remember reading. I remember sitting for hours getting lost in books (and eating mustard on bread..that's weird right?). Writing just seemed a natural progression from that. Whenever I'd read a story that I thought should have ended or developed differently, I would write it myself. Then as I got older, themes and style changed from simple straight-forward story-telling to the inevitable pretentious idiosyncratic stuff of age 18-20, to where I (think) I am now at 23 — satirical, character driven comedy.

4) Now that you’ve gotten a little older, are there any themes or images you find yourself coming back to? If so, what are they, and why do you think resonate with you?

A recurring theme I seem to keep engaging in is the negotiation of ambiguity. The older I get and the more people that I meet, the more interesting I find learning about different people's methods of either ignoring or entering into dialogue with it, and the result.

Also ships. I think that's just because I want to be a pirate.

5) In the works of other authors, are there any particular subjects or styles you are drawn towards? For that matter, are there any writers who you specifically admire?

Absolutely, although I'd have to distinguish between authors who I admire, and authors who I wish or have tried to emulate. I specialized in Shakespeare and Renaissance drama in university, so those sort of themes and how they ambitiously approached them are constantly on my mind, but I've never tried to emulate their style (except for a collection of sonnets that have since been burned — you're welcome). I suppose the writer who's been the most informative thematically is Graham Greene. His characters are so morally ambiguous, so deliciously human — not bad, not good. Stylistically, I suppose William Goldman has been a massive influence. Stylistically and professionally. He's a screenwriter who began by adapting his own novels to film. If you ever had a sec, pick up Magic by him. Then watch the movie with Anthony Hopkins. He's a writer's dream.

Also Tom Stoppard. That talented bastard.

6) Moving away from written work for a moment: what sorts of things do you do when you’re not writing?

Ohhh God, this is all going to sound so generic. No, fuck that — I breed llamas. Got a whole farm of em. They wear sweater vests and are irritatingly literate in continental philosophy.

Also I love films, listen to music, see a lot of theater and work out. And drink wine (you can't see it but I'm drinking some now).

7) In the booze-friendly spirit of Ruckus, give us a pairing: one of your favourite works/authors and one of your favourite beverages (alcoholic or not). Why do they go together? How do they complement one another?

My favorite play that isn't from the late 16th/17th century, is Arcadia by Tom Stoppard. Sitting down with that and half a bottle of Shiraz after a hot shower may be one of the most pleasurable thing ever. And I've had conversations about Kierkegaard with llamas, so...

8) Can you give us a little written trailer of what you’re going to be reading on July 28th?

I'm going to be presenting three characters from my new play, Footnotes, and some dialogue that occurs in and outside of the action of the play. Footnotes is a play I've been working on for the past year. It's a movement away from the material I was writing before (again, plays) and more toward subjects, situations and characters that are more immediately relevant. Footnotes is about five people, four of whom have just graduated from university in some sort of arts program. They all shrewdly decide to move in together for a week in order to come up with a practical and lucrative arts project, in the hope of preempting a life of poverty, struggle and cliche. Obviously, it all goes horribly wrong.

You'll be introduced to Daisy, Rita and Nick.

9) Last question: give us a short (less than 75 words) third-person bio blurb about yourself which covers any awards/distinctions you're proud of and what you're tackling right now.

Lucy Coren has been writing for stage for about seven years now. She won Best Original Playwright award at the Sears Drama Festival in 2008 for her play, There Ain't No Sanity Clause. Her next play was performed at Hart House Theater as part of their student festival in 2011. Called, Civilization and its Dissed Contents, she now recognizes the trend of bad puns and has put a stop to it. Subsequently, her new play that she is currently finishing is called, Footnotes, material from which she will be presenting at Ruckus Readings II. Lucy has also been the arts editor for The Mike newspaper at U of T where she had a weekly column.