Will of the people rules as CBC’s Debaters hits the road
What: The Debaters Live On Tour When: Monday, 8 p.m. Where: The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo Tickets: $50.75 at tickets.porttheatre.com or by phone at 250-754-8550 Note: The Debaters will also perform Friday in Duncan at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre and Sunday in Courtenay at the Sid Williams Theatre
A scaled-down version of the hit CBC Radio program The Debaters will make three stops on Vancouver Island over the next several days, with a range of newsworthy topics on the docket.
Those topics will include embattled Finance Minister Bill Morneau, according to Steve Patterson, host of The Debaters Live On Tour. While we don’t have the likes of U.S. President Donald Trump, Patterson said during a tour stop in Golden, we have our own politicians worth mocking.
Patterson will lead debaters Jon Steinberg and Graham Clark through their paces on the upcoming Island shows, with the audience deciding the eventual winner of each debate. The Debaters Live On Tour has a tone similar to the live radio tapings for The Debaters, but this run follows a slightly different format.
“When we tape for CBC, we bring 12 comics for six debates,” Patterson said. “That formula can’t work for every theatre on this run, because of the cost. There’s just three of us.”
Patterson will moderate debates between Steinberg and Clark, with all three comics taking the stage for a brief standup set. Patterson will do 30 minutes, while Clark and Steinberg have 15 minutes apiece. “You can still get a good couple digs in,” Patterson said. “And because we’re not doing this for radio, we can be looser. It allows us to do [timely] topics.”
Patterson, a Canadian Comedy Award winner with 20 years under his belt as a standup comic, is best known for his CBC hosting work, despite having only 10 years in “people’s earholes” as host of The Debaters, he said. Patterson understands the appeal. The Debaters is a durable brand, “the kind of model that can keep going. I can bring different people with me at any time, and we can tackle different topics.”
While he attempts to keep the content family-friendly, the improvisational nature of The Debaters Live On Tour — which will not air on CBC, and therefore is not subject to censors — can often produce adult-oriented results.
“A couple times during the show, I make the earmuffs motion for the kids in the audience, but otherwise it’s an accessible show,” he said with a laugh. “People who listen to us on the radio know what to expect. ”
As for the winner of each performance, Patterson plays the debate like a democracy. The will of the people wins on his watch. “There’s not enough at stake for me to overrule the audience. In this case, the popular vote counts. We will not elect the wrong guy!”