With singing, dancing, mock theatre, and not so young men in tutus attempting the cancan, the Friends of Lansdowne know how to throw a party.
The event called The Lansdowne Follies was held at the Mayfair Theatre Saturday as a fundraiser for the group’s mandate to challenge the city of Ottawa over the development plan for Lansdowne Park.
There was a lineup outside the Mayfair for the sold-out event
“Lansdowne is our legacy, we shall not be moved,” sang the clapping crowd to a banjo, guitar and tambourine melody. “No public land for private use, we shall not be moved!”
The singing was followed by a comical show of men in colourful tutus and football helmets trying to synchronize their kicks to the music of the cancan. Among them was former mayoral candidate Clive Doucet who donned a gauzy purple tutu for the cause.
Also wearing a tutu was ken Shipley who said before his performance, “A fundraiser will do anything for money. This is a first, and I might say last time I am going to do the cancan!”
Brian Tansey is one of the organisers of The Lansdowne Follies. He said the event was put on to raise funds as well as show the community’s support of the legal team who represent the Friends of Lansdowne. The legal team is headed by lawyer Steven Shrybman.
“I would bet he has already done $200,000 worth of work,” said Tansey about Shrybman, “he has to know that the public is behind him.”
During the event, Shrybman spoke to the crowd to update them on the legal side of the fight.
“We are confident about our case and we wouldn’t have brought it unless we thought it was strong and had merit,” said Shrybam.
According to the banjo player in the opening song, Stephen Richer, the Friends of Lansdowne have been fighting the city about the development ever since the competitive contracting process was scrapped last year.
“We are not against development of the space,” said Richer, “We are against this particular model of what is there and above all the way in which this group got the contract.”
King Barry's knights of the round table voted on Camelot Commons
The evolution of the Lansdowne issue was summarized in a short play which was written by Richer and preformed at the event. Set in medieval England, the comical play substituted Camelot for the city of Ottawa with a King Barry running the show.
“We need to bring more tourists into Camelot, what say you to the idea of improving our jousting arena?” the actor playing King Barry said. This was followed by booing and hissing in the crowd, eager to play along.
“What of the small merchants that lie around Camelot Common, how will they fair with that monstrosity on their doorstep?” another actor shouted in the play, “and has anyone given a thought to all that horse poop?”
The crowd’s mood was infectious and the Mayfair Theatre, at maximum capacity, was filled with laughter.
But the main attractions of the event were saved for last, with performances by singer Ian Tamblyn, author Elizabeth Hay, and Juno award winner Lynn Miles.
At $30 a seat, the sold-out event brought in enough money for the Friends of Lansdowne to reach their fundraising goal of $100,000 for the cause.
Wander Woman 