JFL Update: Great Moments From New Faces Characters and the Chelsea Handler Gala at Just for Laughs Montreal

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Marty Younge is at Just for Laughs all week covering the 40th annual Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.

The rain from the afternoon had let up as I made my way down St Catherine street. It’s closed during the festival, surreal and delightful. No matter how busy I am I take a moment to sloe down at this part of the street. Food trucks and street performers softly cracking and French shows from larger outdoor stages can be overheard as people line up outside the vast and beautiful Palais des Arts– the heart of the Just for Laughs festival. It’s a post card in my mind I will keep with me on cold laugh-less days. I was headed to one of the oldest theatres in Canada: the Monument National. I’ve learned to catch parts of shows, make the most of my time, see as many performers as I can.

This was New Faces Characters, an informal audition for Saturday Night Live (also notorious for tech screw ups rumoured to be part of the process).

Nick Mestad opened it up with high energy physical characters such as a Dragon and a marionette at a club. He was very inoffensive and engaging.

Ceara O’Sullivan followed with a collection of sweet and strange act outs. Although hers were very short, and elicited moderate laughs, her song as a ghost who is coming to terms with it was a huge hit with who it really resonated with in the best way.

Luke Millington Drake is commanding on stage and did a character who is enraged that people were questioning his ability to ski.

Although I would have liked to stick around for Inessa Frantowski a Canadian and brilliant sketch performer who closed out the show, I could not. But it was no surprise to hear from others she was on of the strongest and most distinct of the showcase.

I arrived at The Chelsea Handler Gala and hour after it began. Sinking in to the plush red seats of the balcony I was so pleased to discover that I had not missed Adam Christie, a lanky high energy comic who trashes through self deprecating jokes like he is fronting a punk band for 30 somethings.

It was a set I’ve seen before, in way less grand spaces, but here it was special. Toronto forged comic Salma Hindy was next. She is at a really liberating phase of her life and it is reflected in her comedy. Clever jokes about breaking away from her own religious upbringing are a great mix with coming of age material and is a nice spin from the usual 30 year old female comedian scope of topics.

Chelsea Handler herself, is stunning and scathing with absolutely demonic timing. The warmth was radiating off everyone as they filed out– it felt special. Like a Just for laughs Gala should.

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