Thursday’s Luminato Picks: Habit, Confluence and Lu Xun Blossoms

Thursday’s Luminato Picks: Habit, Confluence and Lu Xun Blossoms

A livestream of Habit

The fifth edition of Luminato, the city’s annual everything-culture fest, kicked off last Friday and goes all through the week. Here, three events to check out today.

1. Art/Theatre—Habit (FREE!)

You might say that Habit is Luminato’s version of Big Brother—although unlike the reality TV staple, this production admits that it’s scripted. Berlin-based U.S. artist David Levine collaborated with designer Marsha Ginsberg and playwright Jason Grote for this installation, which sees three actors inhabit a fully functional house—complete with a stocked fridge, plumbing and electricity—eight hours a day for days at a time. While reciting the same script by Grote, windows, two-way mirrors and a live, eight-camera video feed give spectators the opportunity to see how the performance changes. After checking out the show, head to Gallery TPW for an artist’s talk with Levine at 7 p.m. All day. OCAD, 100 McCaul St., Great Hall, 2nd floor, 416-368-4849, luminato.com/2011/habit.

2. Dance—Confluence

As its name suggests, Confluence is, at its core, a study of partnership, and it’s unlikely that you’ll find a pairing with more pedigree. Choreographer Akram Khan, whose training is rooted in contemporary dance and Kathak (Indian classical dance), has choreographed works for the National Ballet of China and Kylie Minogue, while composer Nitin Sawhney is renowned for his fusion of Asian, electronic and jazz music. Confluence takes the best of both worlds, synthesizing dance, music and collaboration in a dynamic performance piece. June 16 to 18. 8 p.m. $31.50–$71.50. MacMillan Theatre, 80 Queen’s Park., 416-368-4849, luminato.com/2011/confluence.

3. Theatre—Lu Xun Blossoms

Local theatre troupe Theatre Smith-Gilmour has made a name for itself with its adaptations, which have tackled source material as diverse as the Grimm fairy tales and the stories of Anton Chekhov. In their Luminato production, they travel east, adapting the tales of Lu Xun, a late 19th- and early 20th-century writer and poet who helped shape modern Chinese literature. This production, which is performed in English and Mandarin, was first staged in 2007 in Shanghai and features six actors—three Chinese, three Canadian—playing a plethora of roles, including men, women, kids and a rickshaw. To June 18. $46.50–$56.50. Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St. W., 416-368-4849, http://www.luminato.com/2011/luxun.