The lecture was held by the Canadian Association for Equality (CAFE) and an associated campus club called Men’s Issues Awareness at the University of Toronto (MIAUT). Protestors at the event said they believed the lecture and related discussions of “men’s issues” constituted hate speech, and therefore had no place on campus.

A previous lecture by Warren Farrell drew over 100 protestors, who blocked the doors and clashed with police and those entering the lecture hall, sparking a debate over the acceptable limits of free speech on campus. Farrell’s lecture was also hosted by CAFE and MIAUT.

The groups hosting Fiamengo claimed the university had granted them the use of the George Ignatieff Theatre, at Trinity College, free of charge “for reasons related to the law-breaking protest that occurred at our last event.”

“CAFE offers its appreciation to the University for its strong commitment to free speech on campus,” read a statement circulated to campus media outlets.

In an email to Trinity student heads and residence dons, the college’s assistant dean Adam Hogan urged students to avoid the event. “If you are talking to any students, I would discourage them from being around the event if they don’t have to be there (if they aren’t attending, or I guess protesting) and limit their travel through that area if they can help it,” read the email.

Concerns about a full-scale clash between protestors, guests, and police were not realized, although a fire alarm was pulled just as the lecture got underway, prompting an orderly evacuation.

Fiamengo’s lecture on “‘What’s Wrong with Women’s Studies?” examined what she identified as the problems with academic feminism and women’s and gender studies programs.

In her lecture, Fiamengo claims that “the whole reason for [feminism’s] being depends on an activist orientation towards women’s position on society,” suggesting it was a “fundamental contradiction” to premise a scholarly discipline on an “ideological agenda.”

“It can’t admit when its reformed goals have been achieved, because to do so would be to  radically weaken the claimed necessity of its combined existence. So it must always find new wars to fight, new sources of deplority [sic] to decry … [feminism and women’s and gender studies] must always be advancing its ideological world view by whatever means necessary,” said Fiamengo.

Although there were no interruptions to the lecture beyond the fire alarm, several students critiqued Fiamengo’s material during a question period. Questions from audience members opposed to Fiamengo’s positions were greeted by jeering and heckling from the audience.

“I was disturbed by it,” said one student, a graduate student in the Women and Gender Studies program at U of T, who asked to remain anonymous after some protestors at the Warren Farrell event were targeted online in November.

“I really can’t get across how ridiculous this was,” she said. “Especially when she went through the course descriptions. There was no information, they may have been from different institutions or professors. She admits herself that it’s total speculation. Students should rally against this group.”

Several audience members sympathetic to Fiamengo declined interviews with The Varsity. Amber Taylor, a spokesperson for CAFE was also unavailable for comment as of The Varsity’s press time.

By the conclusion of the event, campus police had dispersed the remaining protestors.

“This talk served as a reminder,” finished the graduate student. “This talk is a reminder to anyone in any Women and Gender or Equity programs that what we’re engaging in active political discourse, and that what we’re studying has a real impact. It reminds us that what we’re doing is important.”

In a previous study, the team inserted electrodes into areas of the brain that processed tactile information, and these electrodes were then attached to infrared sensors. This allowed the rats to “feel” infrared sensors.

Next, the researchers attached electrodes from one rat brain to another. The experiment consisted of two rats in separate cages. One rat was denoted as the “encoder” and the other as the “decoder.” Both rats were taught to press on a lever once an indicator light turned on for a reward.

When the encoder rat pressed on the lever in response to an indicator light, an electrical signal was created in the encoder rat’s brain and sent to the decoder rat’s brain via the electrodes. There was no visual stimulus in the decoder rat’s cage to indicate which lever to press; the decoder rat used the electrical signal sent from the encoder rat to decide. If the decoder rat achieved the task, it received a reward, while the encoder rat received an extra reward.

Failure of the decoder rat to press the correct lever led to the denial of the encoder rat’s extra reward. Therefore, the encoder rat learned to send clearer brain signals the next time around.

Although this process occurs instantaneously, it took over a month of daily hour-long training for the decoder rats to be able to learn the information.

Another successful study linked a rat at Duke University to another rat in a laboratory in Brazil, showing promise for future brain interaction procedures.

—Stephan Jayaratnam

With files from the BBC

Munib Sajjad

BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY

Elect Munib Sajjad for President with team RENEW! As the current Vice President, University Affairs, I have fought against the charging of illegal fees at U of T such as the Copyright charge. As your next President I wish to Renew our fight to create a more accessible and affordable education system. I want to finish our plans to pedestrianize St. George St., and I will fight for greater student representation at all levels of decision making at the University. I have worked hard to represent you this year, and that will continue with my team Renew.

Vote Munib SAJJAD for PRESIDENT, Vote RENEW

Vice-President Internal & Services

Cameron Wathey

Elect Cameron Wathey for VP Internal and Services with team RENEW! As someone deeply involved in the U of T clubs’ community, I understand the importance of our student clubs, unions and associations, and that’s why I will support clubs by increasing clubs funding. Being a part of a campus life during my four years at  UofT has allowed me to get involved with the utsu through a variety of ways. Communication is important, so I will ensure members are consulted and there is discussion about utsu policy through Town Halls.

Vote Cameron WATHEY for VP INTERNAL AND SERVICES, Vote RENEW.

Vice-President Equity

Yolen Bollo-Kamara

Elect Yolen BOLLO-KAMARA for VP Equity with team RENEW! Having spent the past year becoming familiar with building campus community as VP Campus Life for utsu and building a strong connection with clubs on campus, I am excited to take that energy and experience and direct it towards building inclusive and safer spaces on campus. I’m looking forward to launching a mental health awareness campaign as well as continue to support ongoing organizing by expanding our racialized students collective and creating an accessibility fund for our clubs.

Vote Yolen BOLLO-KAMARA for VP EQUITY, Vote RENEW.

Vice-President External

Sana Ali

Elect Sana Ali for VP External with team RENEW! Since first coming to U of T I’ve had an interest and passion for working with my community to tackle issues and fight for what’s right. Next year, as your VP External, I will continue the fight against illegal ancillary fees like the Copyright charge, as well as renew our fight to reduce tuition fees for both domestic and international students. Education is a right, and I will work side by side UofT students to make that loud and clear to all levels of government!

Vote Sana ALI for VP EXTERNAL, Vote RENEW.

Vice-President University Affairs

Agnes So

Elect Agnes So for VP University Affairs with team RENEW! I’ve always been really active and involved during my time at U of T. I was the Promotion Director for Party for a Cause and I’m currently the Innis College director for UTSU. I believe that it is really important to ensure students understand their rights and that their voices are heard throughout UTSU. I’ll continue to lobby to re-introduce per-course tuition fees and create an academic appeals guide to provide students with a better and fair campus and a utsu that fights for students’ best interests.

Vote Agnes SO for VP UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS, Vote RENEW.

Earth: A Survivor’s Guide to All Things Agricultural 

MINHEE BAE/THE VARSITY

The cast of New Faces’ Earth: A Survivor’s Guide to All Things Agricultural had the weight of the festival’s opening spot on their shoulders. Luckily, a cast’s job is always much easier when they’re working with a script as brilliant as that of student playwright Christian Glas. Living in a post-apocalyptic world, Glas’ protagonists are a pair of sibling farmers who have taken on the task of re-colonizing a desolate land. The plot poses gripping questions about relationships and self-reliance, and the dialogue is rife with insightful details that are just begging to be contemplated and discussed. But although Élyse Roy and Alex Howard’s portrayals of Alice and Alphonse were worthy of applause it seemed to me that Glas’ writing hadn’t truly been done justice. Alice’s costume was too crisp and white for the play’s gritty setting, and Alphonse’s character was too even-tempered for someone who eventually snaps in such a truly horrible way. This production simply was too clean for the frightening message it was trying to preach: if you want to be safe, keep watch on the horizon, but if you want to stay human, keep watch on yourself.

— Victoria Beales 

Bruised Porcelain 

It’s a pretty exciting thing when an audience is treated to a dynamic combination of writer, director, and acting ensemble, such as the one that UTM Drama Club provided in its festival entry. Bruised Porcelain seemed like the perfect collaboration of visions, beginning with Kaitlyn Alexander’s well-written script, developing further under Eilish Waller’s direction, and finally coming to life during the excellent performances of a vibrant cast. The play’s protagonist, Macy (played and narrated in tandem by the equally enchanting Rachelle Goebel and Colette Fitzgerald), is in the midst of an exhausting leukemia relapse. Pushed to the edge by what appears to be a futile battle against cancer, she is finally ready to give up. I’ll confess that the play brought me to tears, and yet, somehow, Bruised Porcelain manages to balance its tragic subject matter with uplifting stories about friendship, family, and love. Thanks to the wit of Macy’s best friend Ellie (Brittany Miranda), the heartfelt declarations of her devoted girlfriend, Erica (Chelsea Riesz), and the turbulent emotions of Macy’s mother (developed with great tact by Hannah Ehman), Bruised Porcelain was definitely made its mark.

— VB 

It Could Be Worse

Writer-director Adriano Marchese sure knows how to make us laugh: St. Michael’s Arts Commission’s festival entry kept the chuckles coming from the start. It Could Be Worse invited us into conversation with Marchese’s lead character, a frantic hypochondriac convinced his end is coming all too soon. Steven Lyons played the awkwardly endearing Oscar perfectly, as if the role had been written for him. Jessica Tomlinson played Lucy, Oscar’s pragmatic and under-appreciated friend, with enough sensibility to counteract Oscar’s absurdity. As Oscar jumped from one quirky episode to the next in his search for salvation, he made the audience feel as if they were good friends who were being dragged along for the ride. In fact, when the play came to a happy but abrupt ending, it was hard not to feel like we’d been unfairly cut off. It Could Be Worse wrapped up too quickly and simply, especially in comparison to the show’s meandering plot. The play’s own title sums the show up nicely: it could have been worse… but, then again, it could have been better.

— VB

The DL-15 Incident 

The first of the three plays to be presented on the second night of the U of T Drama Festival was the St. Michael’s Arts Commission’s production of The DL-15 Incident, written by Vere Marie Khan and directed by Joseph Ianni and Victoria McEwan. The story unfolds through the perspective of the main character Emile Para (Arnold Lan), who is interrogated about the deaths of his friend, Lana (Madiha Choksi), and their sociology professor, Mr. Jacobs (Sandro Pehar).  The pace of The DL-15 Incident was exciting, but its plot proved to be quite predictable. Ultimately, the play’s climatic moments lacked suspense, and clichéd depictions of the characters’ heartbreak were unintentionally quite humorous. The DL-15 Incident had the potential to be a telling exploration of toxic love, but with its flimsy development of plot and character, the play falls decidedly short.

— Leelan Farhan

Marianne, Are You Asleep?

utm’s second contribution to the U of T Drama Festival was Marianne, Are You Sleep?, written by Nicholas Potter and directed by Jaime Hernandez Lujan. This clever and insightful play is ostensibly about a married couple that is desperate to find out why their son has visions of his dead grandmother. Yet at the heart of Marianne, Are You Asleep? is a poignant exploration of family dynamics. Though the interactions between Marianne (Karyn McGibbon) and her husband Devon (Ben Hayward) are often comical, as the layers of the couple’s cheery facade are peeled away, it is clear that their relationship is eroding due to a lack of communication. The play also explores the toxicity of family secrets as both the audience and Marianne herself come to know the truth about her childhood. All in all, Marianne, Are You Sleep? is cleverly written, brilliantly directed, and presented by a cast that could very well be mistaken for a professional troupe of actors.

— LF

In This Life 

In This Life by the Hart House Players, opened the third night of The U of T Drama Festival. The play is set in a psychiatrist`s office, where 21 year-old hustler Griff has his first therapy session after contracting HIV. Unfortunately, within the first few minutes the protagonist’s ailment is made clear and the plot transforms into a series of tired scenes that can be easily synopsized: boy is reluctant to discuss his disease; boy cathartically admits his emotional state; boy resolves to tell others about his diagnosis. Despite this unoriginal treatment of the subject, the performance had its comedic moments and Kowlyn McKinstry`s acting kept the audience engaged. The play offered a unique touch by projecting video footage of Griff’s memories of life before his diagnosis onto the back wall of the stage. But, while the footage functioned as an interesting symbol of the nebulous inconstancy of memory, the blurred visuals ultimately proved distracting.  Perhaps if the plot had the same innovative character as the staging, In This Life would have been as memorable to watch as it was pleasant.

— Salena Barry

Shazam! OR SCHISM ON, ETERNITY

Pope jokes, geometry, lemon meringue pie, and 1950s espionage are the scattered foundation of the complex yet witty Shazam!, presented by the Victoria College Drama Society. When a mathematician’s business dinner suddenly goes awry after one of the guests spits out his host’s famous pie, sides are taken and a war is waged. Chock-full of intertwined sub-plots, forceful dialogue, and nuanced ideas, Shazam! can be a little hard to follow for those of us who aren’t well-versed in the complex politics of post-WWII America. Yet the bravado of the actors and sharp technical components make the play interesting to watch, even when the plot becomes convoluted. Although it was not the best act of the festival’s closing night, Shazam!’s wit and satirical style kept the audience chuckling until the very end.

—Emma Kikulis

The Gully

The Gully by utm’s Drama Club is reminiscent of an M. Night Shyamalan film. The story follows a young uneducated girl named Penny in 1970s rural Mississippi, and her unlikely friendship with an old man she meets by a gully near her home. The minimalist set made viewers feel as if they were a part of the relationship between Penny and her aging friend, while a haunting journey and unexpected ending left the audience completely stunned. Whispers of “Wow, I didn’t see that coming,” or “Oh my god, what the hell just happened?!” (as one girl behind me put it) were only a few of the shocked reactions upon the play’s conclusion. Rich, haunting and an overall stunning piece of drama, The Gully was by far the best show of the night.

— EK

The collaboration will benefit faculties and students of both institutions by providing jointly sponsored acquisitions trips to enhance the Tibetan collections at both universities. It will also provide a shared point of service for research consultations.

“The agreement with Columbia University to further develop our research and teaching in this important region of the world positions the University of Toronto Libraries as Canada’s principal resource for knowledge about the Tibetan and wider Himalayan area,” said Dr. Frances Garrett, associate professor of Tibetan and Buddhist studies and associate chair of the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto.

Tibetan Studies scholars have collectively been awarded over $1 million in competitive research funding since 2003.

“We are delighted to be given this opportunity to strengthen our Tibetan Studies collection in order to support our rapidly growing Tibetan Studies community at the University of Toronto and also serve scholars across Canada and throughout North America,” said Hana Kim, acting director of the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library.

—Ameya Charnalia

Almanac

Brooklyn duo Widowspeak gained wide recognition with their 2011 self-titled debut thanks to singer Molly Hamilton — who sounds strikingly similar to Hope Sandoval — and the record’s sophisticated sound. On January 22, Widowspeak will release their sophomore album, Almanac. The twelve tracks easily weave into another; it’s one of those records that lets you dip in and out of its songs without ever letting go. Hamilton’s vocals sweep with unchanging melancholy through each song, whether it’s an aching piece, like “Ballad of the Golden Hour,” or one with more of a rock vibe, like “Dark Age and Sore Eyes.” The guitars — both electro and acoustic — build a firm but subtle framework for Hamilton’s ethereal vocals. While “Minnewaska,” which only features acoustic guitar and vocals, trickles on a bit too unexcitingly, “Storm King” builds slowly but steadily to a noisy crescendo. This closer track leaves the listener with a quiet nostalgia for something ineffable — or perhaps for another listen of the record.

—Assunta Alegiani

Lesser Evil
Doldrums

Back in the fall of 2011, when Toronto native and Doldrum’s frontman Airick Woodhead had just landed on the international radar with his fantastic Portishead cover “Chase the Tear, ” The Grid asked “Is Doldrums Toronto’s Next Breakout Band?” Though Doldrums released its debut EP, Empire Sounds, the impromptu side project Phedre kept Woodhead busy throughout 2012. Now Montreal-based, Doldrums puts out its first album, titled Lesser Evil, on February 26, and it might just make Doldrums Montreal’s next breakout band of the year (following in the footsteps of label-mate Grimes, who took the crown for 2012). Songs like “Anomaly” perfectly marry Woodhead’s androgynous voice, the album’s percussive elements, and the synths that wash it all into a dreamy haze. The second single “She is the Wave” adds some club-friendly, heavy bass and a loop track that puts you on edge, while “Sunrise” is relaxed but upbeat. Taken together, these two songs are representative of what this 11 track record truly is: heady dance music.

—AA

Song Reader
Beck

Since his acclaimed 1994 debut Mellow Gold, Beck Hansen has evolved from a teenage rock star to an iconic face in modern music. Given that Beck has produced such diverse hits such as the bossa nova influenced “Tropicalia” and the more radio friendly “Girl,” it’s often difficult to tie the artist down to generic conventions. This is especially true with Beck’s latest work, Song Reader.

With dozens of songs that span over a multitude of genres, Song Reader is an ambitious effort on Beck’s part. Composed of twenty pages worth of sheet music that features original artwork by an eclectic group of artists, Beck’s songbook is pleasing to the eyes and ears alike. Each song within the booklet allows room for interpretation. “Old Shanghai,” for example, has been played as a group ensemble by the staff of The New Yorker, but it can also be executed as a simple piano solo in one’s home. While Song Reader has yet to enjoy mainstream success, it is comparable to Beck’s magnum opus Sea Change in its experimental efforts, making it no less relevant than his previous efforts.

—Ken Kongkatong

The Liberals have had two totally unsuited teachers as leader, why would they consider another one, especially one of considerably lesser stature? One who has demonstrated his unsuitability to be an MP, let alone PM, with his foul-mouthed outburst on the floor of the house. People like Garneau and Findlay bring a large measure of intelligence, experience, and new ideals to the morally bankrupt Liberals. One must hope that they renew with brains rather than seeking glory in a name, not particularly loved by many. If the Liberals fail there is a real danger of the NDP actually becoming the government; then we [will] become like Greece is today.

— puzzled2 (from web)

Arrest, assaults overshadow “men’s issues” lecture

Well, the way to respond to a point of view you find objectionable is definitely organized thuggery. Can anyone imagine what this institution would be like if anyone who could put together a mob was allowed to dictate what could or couldn’t be discussed here?

I’m unsurprised to find Danielle Sandhu, who has never been legitimately elected to represent any one for any reason shouting and yelling that she represents the students of U of T. Maybe one day she will find the courage to replicate the assault and destruction of property that she advocated as UTSU president and finally be removed from this campus.

— Rishi Maharaj (from web)

…some of the comments made by Warren Farrell are pretty horrific: date fraud? He doesn’t seem to have his head screwed on. Definitely not a great protest, but I can also understand the level of outrage that lead to the protester’s reactionary behaviour. Reading some of the misinformed and anti-women comments on this site is pretty upsetting too. However it is a relief to hear [some] speak respectfully and coherently on the subject.

— Hanna (from web) 

…’Being Sexual’,  as you’d term it, is convoluted victim blaming.

Your attempt to justify misogyny and rape culture is saddening to say the least and the notion that some perception of ‘body language’ gives one the right to ignore direct and absolute verbal instruction is indeed an endorsement of rape. Members of CAFE and folks like yourself are just bigots wearing the mask of equity, misusing statistics and language to  weak and pitiful ends…

— Brad Evoy (from web) 

UTSU agenda voted down at annual general meeting 

The disapproval of the agenda signifies a move towards reform perhaps. It is important now that students voice their opinion about the issues that need to be addressed so that we may constructively discuss them in the next general members’ meeting. The turnout at the AGM was much better than previous year as stated in this article. I’m glad this was the case. I love seeing participation rates of UTSU members increase like this. Cheers.

— Christopher Balette  (from web) 

‘It’s privilege’? Let’s talk about privilege:

Having the financial liquidity to run against a heavily-funded platform in the UTSU Elections, something very few students have. Student that do not run on the CFS platform have very little chance of winning. They are comparably overburdened financially and procedurally and when they try and address the problem, their efforts are stymied.

I was ‘privileged’ enough to have the time to attend the AGM, but the lack of accessibility to basic voting on campus is the reason there is a turnout problem on campus. If the Union’s representatives really want to hear the voice of its members, it will welcome this idea at the table.”

— Shannon Nieve (from web) 

I find it offensive to have well-organized, thoroughly discussed perspectives which happen to be in opposition of the current UTSU mandate and electoral system be dismissed as the result of our lack of awareness of our own ‘privilege’ or ‘misunderstanding.’ To claim such is to label us too stupid to appreciate the complexities of this system and develop any legitimate opinions of our own about it. Over 300 students did not crowd into that room because we thought it might be fun to cause a political mess in accordance of our own blissful ignorance. Despite the fact that the 30 Board Directors and 6 executives combined to provided as many as 396 votes in favour of their stance (due to a proxy system that is an absolute affront to democratic voting in every way), opposition still succeeded in toppling an agenda which portrayed a complete disregard for student concerns. We did that even though dozens of our supporters were forced to leave the event and forfeit hundreds more votes in our favour because they didn’t have the ‘privilege’ of sitting around until 9.30 to vote on the agenda. We are not stupid rabble-rousers who are doing nothing more than procrastinating our essays, and it’s terribly inappropriate for the executive to insinuate that the only reason any reasonable, intelligent person at U of T would disagree with them would be because we’re confused or misguided. If that is how you feel, executive, then it is you who is ‘misunderstanding.’

— Aimmee Queneville

See, this is partially due to a cadre of active, yet spiteful members of the Union who neither understand the key aspects of these organizations (like the need, fundamentally, to address matters like an audit) nor care to. It is high time to smash the hyper-partisanship of all Union and student organizations by ending slate campaigning AND curbing the misuse of proxies by all sides of this discussion…

—Concerned Student (from web)

Justin Trudeau, the MP for Papineau and putative frontrunner for the leadership of the federal Liberal party, visited the University of Toronto’s St. George campus last Tuesday.

Trudeau, 40, spoke for approximately two hours, fielding questions from a crowd of nearly 400 students. The son of former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau returned often to the theme of generational change and the importance of youth involvement in reshaping the Liberal party.

“Obviously something is not working,” said Trudeau, suggesting his party tends to focus “too much on itself.”

He dismissed suggestions that the party needed “rebuilding,” instead stressing the “need to build a whole new Liberal party” to “reconnect with Canadians and recruit young Canadians who are conscious about what’s going on in the world, but feel disconnected.”

“I feel if I didn’t run, there wouldn’t be anyone strong enough to pull together this generation,” Trudeau added.

Students peppered Trudeau with a range of questions, asking him about his reasons for entering politics, healthcare costs, and youth unemployment and engagement in politics.

Asked by moderators Jonathan Scott and Semra Sevi to respond to attacks suggesting he’s unqualified to be prime minister, Trudeau noted his experience running non-profits and as a high-school history and French teacher.

Although he highlighted the need to avoid “divisive” US-style politics, Trudeau missed no opportunity to take a jab at Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, calling him a former “mail clerk” who joined a “right-wing lobby group” before climbing the ranks of the amalgamated Conservative party to

lead an “unhealthy” government. During a media scrum after the Q&A, Trudeau declined to speculate about his position at the head

of the leadership pack.
“That’s what the leadership

race is all about,” said Trudeau. “That’s what Canadians will get to see for themselves, in terms of who they want to represent them as head of the Liberal party.” Trudeau said he is looking forward to the contest.

The next day, Trudeau held a rally in the rural Ontario riding of Durham with provincial Liberal leadership candidate Kathleen Wynne, to lend support to local candidate Grant Humes, who is contesting a federal by-election set on November 26. As he was rallying the local Liberal volunteers, former MP Martha Hall Findlay launched her leadership race in Calgary.

“Allow me to say, ‘I told you so,’” Trudeau said. “I told you there would be a lot of very strong candidates getting into this race, who are going to bring forward tremendous ideas.”

Other candidates in the leadership race include Toronto constitutional expert Deborah Coyne; lawyer David Bertschi, who lost his bid for an Ottawa-area seat in 2011; Vancouver crown prosecutor

Alex Burton; former Liberal president for British Colombia David Merner; and Toronto economist Jonathan Mousley.

Marc Garneau, the first Canadian in space, a Montreal MP and the Grit house leader, is widely expected to enter the race. Vancouver MP and former provincial environment minister Joyce Murray is also a rumoured contender, as is Toronto lawyer George Takach.

Although set in modern times, Hart House’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet remained true to Shakespeare’s original language and the result was nothing short of audacious: thugs recited lines of blank verse and duels were fought with ringing swords and fiery handguns. It was a smash.

Most people are familiar with the story of Romeo and Juliet: two unlucky teenagers of enemy families become lovers and, ultimately, commit suicide. Hutton’s modernization, with its Italian hip-hop, flashing lights, and contemporary dress are put to use in recreating the all-consuming experience of adolescent love.

The play started off strong, immediately setting up the conflict between the House of Capulet and the House of Montague, and instantly captured the audience’s attention with a startling set. The contemporary wardrobe choices also work well. Romeo’s yellow shirt, blue jacket, dark jeans, and grey Chuck Taylor sneakers resemble Tony’s costume in West Side Story. His cohort, Benvolio, dresses in purple pants, loafers, and hipster glasses, while the lower classes in the play wear belly tops, booty shorts, and wife-beaters, highlighting the disparity between the rich and poor.

Paolo Santalucia, who plays Romeo, and his wide-eyed love, played by Darwin Lyons, are wonderful. The dynamic duo has their onstage chemistry down pat, and couples in the audience definitely started squeezing hands when Juliet declares, “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.”

The supporting cast is also uniformly exquisite, including Joshua Browne, Jeremy Lapalme and Jonathan Sousa — who play Mercutio, Benvolio and Tybalt, respectively — and Lesley Robertson, who plays the Nurse. Browne and Robertson often steal the scene with their witty, sharp banter, infusing the tragic trajectory of the play with comic relief. The audience threw their heads back in laughter when Mercutio looks up the Nurse’s dress and gleefully insinuates that she is a prostitute: “No hare, sir, unless a hare, sir, in a Lenten pie — that is, something stale and hoar ere it be spent.”

The triumph of Hart House’s production of Romeo and Juliet is in the details: a Renaissance-inspired backdrop, eclectic soundtrack, thrilling fight sequences and slow motion choreography in the famous scene where Romeo sees Juliet from across the room. The play also employs a powerful use of darkness as a visual motif: the play both opens and closes in pure, enveloping darkness, perhaps symbolizing the secrecy of Romeo and Juliet’s love and the inevitable nature of their death. The resulting aesthetic is dazzling; a treat for the eyes and ears.

The donation marks the beginning of a $36 million campaign spearheaded by the co-chairs of the Centre for Jewish Studies, Ken and Larry Tanenbaum. The goal, says Ken Tanenbaum, is “[f]irst, to raise funds to enable the work of the remarkable faculty and staff, [and] second, to raise funds for programming and student support.”

The fundraising drive will ultimately provide for the hiring of six new professors, two new research positions, and general enhancement of courses. The centre also intends to move into a larger space in the Jackman Humanities Building, and establish a curatorship for resources and awards.

— Dhruv Mayank