Just For Laughs: Bubbling With Laughter

Words by Jeff Barkun

The Just for Laughs festival is supposed to be packed with great performances, and last nights performance of Bubbling with Laughter truly satisfied the entire palette. This show is performed every night for over a week, with the benefit of different line-ups to allow one to get a taste of many different styles of comedy, so even if you go one night, you will not lack for delight and surprise if you are to return for another version of this show.

When I say it satisfied the entire palette, I take this very seriously. By the end of the show, I had gained a deep understanding of the life story of the evening exciting host Kathleen Madigan, while New Brunswick’s Tim Steeves provided a slightly more vivid depiction of his life and follies of tending to family. Greg Mortin on the other hand provided a visual depiction of certain societal quirks, with his facial expressions doing as much talking as his words. Finally, we were taken through an unexpected ride by Men in Coats, making their Montreal debut, which provided a clever fusion of a circus freak show and puppet show with a funky twist, nothing I have seen before or expected, but something I would highly recommend supplying to your laugh buds.

Bubbling With Laughter runs every night until July 21
Tickets: BUY!

Just For Laughs 2007: Britcom

The Montreal Just for Laughs festival is just getting started but things are already in full swing. After what seeing the Nasty Show, which I personally consider to be the unofficial "opening" for the festival - my expectations were high. Perhaps a bit too high given the fantastic line up including Lewis CK and Dave Attell (and new host Nick Dipaolo). Tonight's installment of Britcom was, however, a whole other bag. Unlike the Nasty Show which has a consistently solid line up of more or less well known preformers - this year's installment of Britcom features a far more esoteric group. But don't let that stop you. In fact, checking out new comedians is half the fun of the fest.

Highlights for me included; Wes Packer, who's diatribe on meeting women when you're ugly was perhaps the best of the showcase. Jimmy Carr's fast paced non-sequitur was very much in the style of Mitch Hedberg and brought the laughs something fierce. And of course, headliner Frank Skinner, who was a perfect closer to the night - and his routine is simply too great to even hint at.

Just like when I write about music I'll end it by telling you to go see this show. Why? Because I know what you'll like, dear reader...so get out there and buy yourself a ticket!

Britcom is playing July 17 and July 18.
Get your tickets here: TICKET BUYING LINK!!!!!