Guy Nantel: a show about his shortcomings in politics

Guy Nantel could have “saved the Quebec nation” if he had been elected to lead the Parti Québécois in 2020, but his crushing defeat in the second round of the leadership race instead allowed him to give birth to a sixth solo show. .

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Presented Tuesday evening at the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, this new show, « If I understood you correctly, you’re saying… », allows the comedian to revisit this sad defeat and give an idea what he would have done if elected.

With a refreshing self-mockery, Guy Nantel returned to the failures and shortcomings of his political career – he came third out of four in the race for the leadership of the Parti Québécois. Sincerely believing that he was relevant in this race and for the party, he admitted to being still a little traumatized by his leap into the void, the criticisms he suffered – « as if being a comedian made you auntie full time » — and the loneliness he felt when the votes were announced.

Intense, voluble, condescending — and breathless at times — the comedian goes all out when it comes to the elderly, the boomers — who have transformed Quebec into a welfare state, invented disco and hairspray who goes with it and lived for them all their lives — vegans, wokes, and conspiracy theorists.

Arrived on stage on a good-natured and catchy « gingle » – inspired by the Maxime Bernier method – the comedian took pleasure in denigrating almost everything with a playful tone, to the delight of the public who laughed at throat deployed, throughout the evening.

Linking themes and numbers with cutting speed – but sometimes with more or less skill – the comedian has often gone from cock to donkey, dropping out of school, to the representativeness of prisoners in prisons, to the female condition. Of course, he hasn’t glossed over COVID-19, the economy and global warming — the biggest issue of which, he says, is sex and reproduction.

This sixth solo show had something unifying, inviting the public to interact in chorus on several occasions, and gave the air of militant gatherings.

Guy Nantel is part of the team of panellists-debaters of the show « Le monde à l’envers », broadcast every Friday evening on TVA. With Sophie Durocher, he takes part in « La Rencontre de l’heure », broadcast every day at 3 p.m. on QUB radio.

The show « If I understood you correctly, you are saying… », will be presented in Montreal at the Olympia on December 10 and in Quebec City at the Salle Albert-Rousseau on November 8-9 and 22 -February 23. For all dates: guynantel.com.