'Because life is boring sometimes': Cabaret-themed Phnomena Festival launches

This sixth edition of the Phnomena Festival promises cabaret-themed performances inspired by early 20th century artistic movements, and it launchedSunday with a parade full of Mile End residents.

This year's edition of the festival runs until Oct. 20 and its main themes are Dadaismthe avant-guard art movement that mocked modern livingand surrealism, which began as an exploration ofthe subconscious.

The shows being presented are mainly in small venues which are conducive to interactions between performers and audience members like the Plateau's Sala Rossa and La Chapelle.

"It's not theatre 'as usual' and that's why it's so exciting.The artists are free to experiment," artistic director D. Kimm said.

ThePhnomenaFestival was created in 2012 and took over from the FestivalVoixd'Amriques, which was dedicated to presenting poetry and spoken word performances in Montreal from 2002 to 2011.

Mile End on parade

The festival kicked off with aparade, held on part ofthe VanHorneoverpass. It had been transformed into a pedestrianwalkforViaduc375, a five-day event ending Sunday.

The parade invited people to dress in extravagant costumes that fit into five themes: flowers, spirit of the ocean, ancient Egypt, the forest, or simply in white.

To get the word out, organizers asked Patsy Van Roost, also known as the Mile End Fairy, to help invite the neighbourhood.

She distributed 3,000 invitations and "rallied the troops," she said.

Kimmsaid the idea for the parade was to be poetic but extravagant,"because life is boring sometimes."

Despite the festival's mandate of experimentation,some of the city's late-night mainstays are returning during Phnomena.

Notably, thequeer cabaret and dance night Meow Mix is back, celebrating20 years since it launched the event was afixture in the city from 1997 to 2012.

Another returning event is the dance, drag, burlesque, music night Kiss my Cabaret.It has been on hiatusfor two years.