The 10 Buzziest Shows at JFL Montreal This Year

at
Share This Post

By Marty Young

It’s the return of the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal. The biggest comedy festival in the world and the festival that established the viability of the contemporary comedy festival format. Since 1982 It has grown into a global brand encompassing other sister festivals and media entities, but nothing is like the experience of the original. It’s an indescribable feeling to walk the streets of Montreal during the heart of the Festival, seeing comedians everywhere, seeing fans excited about the shows they are on their way to, or returning from. It’s electric.

This year, correspondent Marty Young will be back on those streets for the busiest final days of the festival. It’s impossible to do everything. But here are some highlights of this massive world class comedy experience, that we’re planning to check out.

10. DAN GALEA : INTER-DAN-MENSIONAL LIVE! And LOWKEY COMEDY SHOW HOSTED BY PAUL ELIA & DAVE MERHEJE

A truly one of a kind part of the festival is seeing amazing shows outdoors for free. Both these shows are located at the centre of the festival and are a great way to take in the joyous Montreal atmosphere. Both shows feature a line up of comics that it would be nearly impossible to see for free anywhere else.

9. BEST OF THE FEST

This is a truly a hidden Gem of the festival, and the title should sell you right away, but maybe because the names aren’t in the title, a lot of people miss out. This surprise lineup show oftentimes is used by main event comics as a warm up show for the Galas. If you can’t get tickets to the big lavish Gala nights, this is your best chance to see those same acts in a smaller environment. It runs twice a night at the ultra cool Newspeak venue and always makes for a very memorable night of shorter rather polished sets from the world’s best and soon to be best

8. KYLE KINANE

Comedy’s Punk rock alt hero is bringing his sardonic and impactful brand of humour to one of the festival’s seediest and mainstay venues– strip club Cafe Cleo. The stage is one of a kind. The room with its wrap around seating is primed for crowd work and it really tests the ability of a comedian to command a room. Anything can happen at Cafe Cleo. Do keep in mind for this venue, drinks are priced like you are at a strip club. So maybe a little pregaming?

7. THE DESSERT PANEL

The ComedyPro is the industry conference component of the festival and showcases the New, now, next of the industry for the coming year. Part of ComedyPro this year, a showcase of The Dessert– a new sketch comedy show that is an absurdist contemporary fever dream that really says and does exactly what it wants. This panel discussion will be moderated by Executive Producer, Max Kerman (Arkells),
joined by:
 Shane Cunningham, Co-Creator/Writer/Actor/Producer
Jonathan Popalis, Co-Creator/Head Writer/ Producer
Mike Veerman, Co-Creator/Writer/Director/Producer
Isabella Campbell, Writer/Actor
Jillian Smart, Writer/Actor 
Justin Stockman, VP, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media

All of these people are ones to watch in the Canadian Industry and Beyond.

6. NEW FACES: CHARACTERS

The new faces showcases are something that only happens at JFL. The top emerging talent from their respective disciplines are showcased together on the same lineup. Although the New Faces stand up is the most buzzed about, New Faces Characters is truly one of the most fun shows of the entire festival.

5. DANIEL SLOSS

Doing a run of shows at a converted Church, Scottish comedy’s prodigal bad son is surely holding nothing back. This show is a brilliant statement of the validity and necessity of Sloss’s kind of comedy. It will be a really once in career moment to see Sloss in a relatively intimate theatre before he inevitably moves to playing stadiums. His shows are not only hilarious, but they’re smart, and have something to say. He’s a force who is not only a joke sledgehammer, but he’s also a sweetheart.

4. BRIT(ISH)

This show is really something very unique to JFL– a showcase of Britain’s top comedians. A nod to the influence Britain has on comedy globally a unique chance to see these comics at this phase in their careers, this should be on every festival goers list. Hosted by Jen Brister, featuring Alan Davies, Gina Yashere, Josie Long, Jamali Maddix and Reuben Kaye.

3. JUDY GOLD

A master comic at the height of her career, Gold will be performing solo at one the festival’s most prestigious and intimate venues– the Calude Léveillée theater inside the Grandiose Place des Art theater complex. This will be a moving, memorable and highly sought after show.

2. THE NASTY SHOW

A unmissable mainstay of the festival that is not for the faint of heart. It demonstrates the art of Dark, Blue comedy and this year it is hosted by Mike Ward the Québécois comic who notoriously was entrenched in a legal battle about a joke. This is a wild show anything can happen Hosted by Mike Ward and featuring Donnell Rawlings, Steph Tolev, Adrienne Iapalucci, Geoffrey Asmus and Dino Archie! Special mention of Iapalucci, she is one of the most fearless dark comedians you will ever witness. She’s been opening for Louis CK and she’s an absolute undiscovered gem, and we’re hoping that The Nasty Show helps raise her star even further.

1. RUSSELL PETERS- The RP4

It’s always incredibly special when Russell Peters returns to the festival. He is the largest stand up comic Canada has ever produced and he loves JFL and JFL loves him right back. Kind to fans and colleagues, always decked out like the true superstar he is.

Peters returns this year with a perfect collaboration hosting 4 galas at the stunning Place des Arts theatre. They will be released as television specials similar to the ones that helped him break into global stardom. They feature a changing lineup each night of some of the festival’s brightest stars. If you can score a ticket this is a once in a lifetime show.

Read more comedy news.

The following two tabs change content below.

Marty Younge

Latest posts by Marty Younge (see all)

Marty Younge
Marty Younge