The Canadian Prime Minister will be in the Harbour City tonight.
But it won’t be the Stephen Harper that one might expect.
This Stephen Harper is merely a puppet controlled by multitalented performer James Gordon, who just happens to be an elected official in Guelph, Ont.
“I make my living mostly as a singer-songwriter. I am touring all over the place,” Gordon said. “In the last few years of touring in Canada the most common topic that people want to talk about is … what is happening to our country?”
Tonight (May 19), people will have the opportunity to hear about to hear and see the puppet version of Stephen Harper when Gordon performs his one-man show Stephen Harper: The Musical at Vancouver Island University’s Malaspina Theatre at 7 p.m.
“The reason why I have a kind of creepy large Stephen Harper puppet on the stage is because it is a not-so-subtle metaphor,” Gordon said. “I feel like he is actually a puppet for big oil.”
Stephen Harper: The Musical is mainly a comedy, but Gordon said the show is also designed to educate people about what is happening to Canada.
“I kind of lay it out because people have short memories politically in this country, I think,” Gordon said. “In the second half of the show we start to look at what we can do about it besides just electing someone else. There are other things.”
Gordon, who was elected as a city councillor in Guelph last October, has been a performer for years and created the musical more than a year ago.
While the production touches on a range of serious issues, such as pipelines, Gordon says he tries to keep the show fun.
“I try to use humour and music with it and keep it light and I hope people get entertained first and educated second,” Gordon said.
Since the show began, Gordon has toured it throughout the country. In an effort to keep the show current, he is always tweaking his production.
“There is so much that changes all the time,” he said. “The show keeps changing itself. I keep updating it. I have a song about Bill C-51 now.”
Stephen Harper: The Musical runs at Malaspina Theatre tonight. Tickets are $25.
For more information, including ticket purchases, please visit www.jamesgordon.ca.
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