Pondering and chuckling throughout election night events.
Let's have a laugh and forget about feeling lonely on election night at home! That's the promising setup of de-complexed political humor by Colin Boudrias, Catherine Éthier, Yasmina Léveillé, Brian Piton, Brigitte Poupart, and Christian Vanasse. On April 28, this event will take place on stage at Club Soda in Montreal, with the option for those who can't be there in person to join online thanks to this tradition-setting event.
Why these politically-charged humor-filled nights? Brigitte Poupart, a comic, explains it best: "People felt alone at home during election nights. They needed to live this together, share, unwind, and get out of the house." Since the hilarious year-end reviews with the Zapartistes, they've continued the tradition, recognizing its importance, as Christian Vanasse puts it, "People told us so. So we kept it."
Before this entertaining election special became a tradition, explains Christian Vanasse, like-minded people would gather, at best, in bars. The shared political experiences could be observed, but discussions were seldom had. Things changed when they brought the idea to the stage: "People wanted to critique together what they were collectively experiencing. We brought the idea to the stage..."
Christian Vanasse started participating around 2008 or later. On April 28, he likens the evening to a platform for reflection and discourse on diverse topics that aren't usually discussed during election campaigns: poverty, homelessness, social problems, and the environment.
Most of the evening is pre-scripted, but there's no time for rehearsals, as Christian Vanasse jokes, because "We don't have that time!" The performers' improvisation skills contribute significantly to the delight of the audience, with Catherine Éthier admiring the unexpectedness that Brian Piton can bring to the show.
Catherine Éthier enjoys this kind of exercise: "I like it! A lot! It's a great exercise in consciousness and letting go at the same time. I like that feeling of standing on the edge without knowing whether someone will catch me when I leap."
Surprises await, assures Christian Vanasse. Some of these surprises will unfold even for the performers themselves: "What's good now with these fixed-date elections is that we see that they can happen, as we see now, anytime!"
The evening consists of three parts. The first part will revisit key moments from the campaign, taking various tangents, supported by the ambient music provided by Colin Vanasse. Catherine Éthier will present her unique interpretation of the election campaign, offering a different perspective. In an interview, she talks about her watercolors on cotton paper, joking, "I am, with all the pretension in the world, a bit the resident artist! I paint watercolors, the portrait of each leader. I analyze this year's leaders by their hair. By their words, it would be more difficult: they all say pretty much the same thing..."
The second part will be dominated by giant screens displaying results as they come in. Christian Vanasse quips, "Together, we'll measure the extent of the damage."
Finally, in a third part, the whole group will return to the stage for the leaders' speeches. The casting has been decided: Brigitte Poupart will portray a confident Yves-François Blanchet, "with his legs well spread."
An affordable ticket will be available for the live show, with prices adjusted according to each person's ability to pay, and for the first time, remote attendance is also possible via webcast.
Montreal's cultural events scene is lively, rich, and dynamic, and this humor-based election event could be another example of that. Using humor to facilitate political discussions is being embraced worldwide and might be gaining ground in Montreal, too.
- Despite feeling alone during election nights at home, the tradition of shared political experiences began when discussions were seldom had, even in bars.
- Christian Vanasse appreciates the importance of this tradition, explaining that people wanted to critique collectively what they were collectively experiencing.
- On April 28, the event will cover various social issues like poverty, homelessness, social problems, and the environment, making it a platform for reflection and discourse beyond election campaigns.
- Social media would play a role in extending this tradition as people can join online from anywhere, making politically-charged humor and discussions accessible anytime.
