Me and Stephen did quite a bit over the weekend, perhaps more than I would usually do. On a somewhat temperate Saturday we saw Canada get spanked on home turf by Peru. The Canadian section was extremely vocal throughout the game, despite being outnumbered by Peruvian fans who I assume lived within the region. They were outshouted crucially on two major occasions when Peru scored. (Though I don't think that's a causational thing) Team Canada didn't give the locals much to cheer about spontaneously unfortunately. Even hopes for a surprise 49 yard field goal voiced by one fan were no realized. How shameful.
The Peruvian flag looks a lot like the Canadian one, which may have led to some trouble. At one point, with the score still tied one Peruvian fan came over to the Canadian stands waving his flag at what I'm sure he thought were fellow Peruvian supporters. Fortunately several incredibly level headed Canadians in wrestling masks came over to direct him back to his own stands. Then some security came by to help. Then another Peruvian. They enjoyed a very animated discussion about how great soccer was, then parted ways. There may have been some friendly punching as well.
After this incident, and with the Canadian team falling behind; the Canadian section began to turn their attention to the fans instead of the game. In the midst of one lively chant about Passports and who may or may not have them, Stephen leaned over and said to me, "You what I like about our country? The quiet dignity."
There were about ten thousand in the stands, notably less than those who turn out for regular Toronto club games. After the non-sellout for the TFC v. Crux Azul game, I concluded that season ticket holders were not likely to buy additional tickets for games not contained in the Major League Soccer package. But Saturday's game showed that the Canadian national team may be even less of a draw than international club competition.
Me and Stephen also went to see the Expendables, which didn't live up to it's awesome name with some kid of modern Dirty Dozen story, but was a great eighties style ensemble action movie. It was fun, there was action, but it perhaps wasn't memorable except in that it got so many big stars together. A few have been in the same movie before, (Jet Li/Statham, Lundgren/Stallone, Mickey Rourke/Alcohol) but it had a lot of charm. The good guys and most of the bad guys did have character, but several of them didn't have much to do in the film. Incidentally, I find that with modern fast editing, gun related action plays out much better than hand to hand fighting.
I think the best thing we did was on Friday, when we went to the Late Horror Improv show at the Baddog Theatre. We took a streetcar and subway to Broadview Station, in the east end of the city. When we got out of the subway, I was a little worried because I hadn't brought a map or an address. I just remembered from the site's directions that we wouldn't have to cross a street. Fortunately, we did find it in fairly short order as the theatre was just around a corner but pretty close to the subway. I was also a little concerned that we may have to leave early since the subways and streetcars don't operate past 2AM, and the show was starting at midnight. But that wasn't the case fortunately.
I was expecting a little more audience particpation from the description I'd read in the Globe, but the only thing the audience was asked was to provide a subject for this monster-themed improv play. A lady in the front responded to the question, "What were all expecting in the past to have had by now?" with, "flying car!" which was exactly what Stephen and I were thinking of as well. The story featured a group of tourists stranded on an island where time had no meaning, (As the players could not remember the chronology of events) and where new characters just seemed to keep popping up when necessary, (This was the island from LOST I guess) but worse, was terrorized by a mutant flying car. It was pretty funny, but I think it also helped that the production was very cheap too. (Only 5 dollars plus TTC fare) It wasn't the most memorable of stories maybe, (What with it being made up on the fly) but it was fun.
Cheap improvosational theatre halfway across town after midnight makes me feel bohemian.
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