City Election goes off broadway

Review - If the upcoming civic election were won on artistic talent, Peter Ladner would be, hands down, Vancouver's next mayor. Not to fault his chief rival, Gregor Robertson, for trying to show his guitar skills at the Creative City Cabaret on Saturday night, but Ladner had it all going on.

Stitched together by the creative minds at the arts management group Left Right Minds, the cabaret was an attempt to allow mayoral candidates and some others running for political office to show off their skills as actors, singers, dancers, etc. The evening succeeded only in fits and starts, and offered many moments of jaw-dropping awe at the deep, unsettling weirdness to be found on the campaign trail.