Fringe 2026: Politicians Are Puppets mocks Ottawa city politics
Aurora Productions' satirical play lampoons local decision-making through the 2000s, from the LRT debacle to Lansdowne. The show runs at LabO until June 27.
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In Politicians Are Puppets, a bee tries to navigate municipal politics to reclaim its forest home—a metaphor for how Ottawa's residents often feel about their own city's decision-making.
Created by Aurora Productions, a ragtag bunch of young people who came together mainly through a community garden, the 60-minute comedy tackles Ottawa municipal politics from the early 2000s onward. It covers momentous occasions like the LRT and its many misfortunes, and the mixed response to Lansdowne 1.0. The show later transitions to tackling Doug Ford's tenure as Ontario Premier.
It's a play where audience booing is encouraged. Trump, Jim Watson, Mark Sutcliffe, both Bob and Rick Chiarelli, and Doug Ford all get booed and jeered on stage. Catherine McKenney got a lot of cheers. The production wears its politics on its sleeve and tackles a lot of subjects—it helps if you know a bit about Ottawa city politics, but even if you aren't an expert, as long as you've got an opinion on the LRT, you'll understand the show.
The reviewer noted that the play presents politics as, well, not always designed to benefit the common every-citizen. Aurora Productions' message is that the strings controlling politicians are pulled by forces indifferent to ordinary people.
Politicians Are Puppets plays at LabO until June 27. Tickets are $14 plus service fees online, at the Fringe box office (Fringe Courtyard, 67 Nicholas St), and at two satellite box offices (3rd floor, Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue and La Nouvelle Scène, 333 King Edward Ave).