There couldn’t be two plays more dissimilar than Deliver Us Not and Essay, which both open at the Peterborough Theatre Guild on Friday, January 16th. Different in tone and subject matter, the two one-act plays directed by Bea Quarrie seem completely mismatched: the first is a surrealist comedy while the second is a hard-hitting drama.

Most likely the reason they are paired together is that Quarrie recognizes them as interesting shows that are well worth an audience, but too short to be featured on their own.

One thing the two shows do have in common is that they are both well-executed and feature strong performances, and have the potential to open up individual ideas and discourse — leaving audience members thinking well after they leave the theatre.

“Pest” by Amy Swartz and “Mechanisms for Correcting the Past” by Kristie MacDonald at Artspace

As far as favourite animals go, insects are seldom near the top of anyone’s list. As fascinating and colourful as their otherworldly bodies can be, they are often seen as too alien and creepy to be appealing. Not so for artist Amy Swartz — she can’t seem to get enough of them.

As I look at my favourite films of the past year, I seem to have assembled a list of stories that are intrinsically linked. Linked in their exploration of our relationship to the media and how we use it; in their depictions of performers acknowledging the deceptive and often cruel nature of their craft; and linked in their pursuit of a social truth that accurately represents the world that we live in.

Peterborough is going to get a rare taste of authentic Memphis blues when the Daddy Mack Blues Band performs in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre on Thursday, January 29th. Led by inspirational singer and guitarist “Daddy” Mack Orr, the band has been delivering no-frills urban blues for over 15 years.

Welcome to 2015! Peterborough and the Kawarthas continues to grow as a musically creative region, with great local talent, visiting acts, and no shortage of excellent venues. Here are my picks for some shows coming up in January.

Unless you’ve completely shunned social media for the last two months (and if you have, good for you) then you are aware of The Interview and the ever-growing chimera known as “the Sony Hack” or, as I’ve been calling it, “The Highlight of Entertainment Media in 2014.”