ComediHa! Salue Montreal

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From July 18 to 28, Comediha! Salue Montréal will be taking over the Quartier des Spectacles to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of ComediHa! Fest de Québec. For this unique edition, we spoke with ComediHa! Fest’s executive director, Josée Charland.

By Sébastien Tétrault

How do you see this first Montreal edition of the festival?

We’re very proud of it. This city is a comedy hotbed, and this first Montreal edition of our festival is an important step for us. The city’s comedy culture is a bit different from Quebec City’s, but it’s just as rich and dynamic. Finally, I’d say that the opportunity to put on a comedy festival in a legendary space like place des Festivals is something we could only dream of until now!

What can you tell us about the program for this edition?

For the free outdoor portion, the festival’s evenings are divided into three parts. From 7 to 8 p.m., we warm up the crowd with some routines built around audience participation. From 8 to 9 p.m., there are more traditional standup routines showcasing new talent. Finally the special program starts at 9 p.m. with different types of shows – playful, comedic, musical, festive.

Our first special guests are Bleu Jeans Bleu on July 18 in place des Festivals. In the same space on July 19 we’ve got Katherine Levac with Queer and Friends, a progressive and inclusive show featuring several guest artists including a certain international star. On July 20, there’s La guerre des Fans emceed by Phil Roy.

The many artists and comedians participating in this show include Kim Lizotte, the winner of the TV version. On July 21, Génération Stand-Up will introduce the new stars in this classic and beloved genre. Another event people won’t want to miss is Carte blanche with Arnaud Soly on July 25. Arnaud will take us on a journey into his crazy world of sketch comedy – sometimes absurd, always hilarious! On July 26 fans will see Moins Loin que Saint-Tite emceed by Pascal Massicotte, which will have plenty of hilarious surprises. Finally, we’ll take advantage of the recent resurgence of country music to try to set a new world record for the biggest ever line dance!

What are the festival's marquee events?

The JMP event, on July 19 in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts, is of course a must-see. There’s only one Jean-Marc Parent, and he alone can deliver the kind of performance that made him famous. We also have some shows in English, with Bassem Youssef, whose comedy tends toward the political and social, on July 20 in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. We’re the latest stop on his Middle Beast Tour. On July 19 in Théâtre Jean-Duceppe, as part of the series Y’a de quoi rire, Korine Côté will welcome dozens of guests from the new generation of Québécois comics.

Do you have some advice for Montrealers who want to enjoy the festival to the fullest?

Come with an open mind. The program has something for everyone, and I invite everybody to come have fun with us, and be curious! And don’t forget, we have passes for our ticketed shows. They’re a very good value – with a pass you can catch two or three shows a night and discover even more talented performers!

What is ComediHa! all about?

It’s a Quebec company that’s active in the performing arts, including production and promotion in both music and comedy. In Quebec City, we present a comedy festival that’s turning 25 this year. When the Juste Pour Rire company went bankrupt, we knew that its famous festival would vanish as well. So we stepped up and said, “We can do something, if anyone’s interested…” And eventually we were called upon so we got busy putting together a last-minute transitional event. That’s why the festival is called ComédieHa! Salue Montréal. And I’ll take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone who has helped us make it happen. Montreal’s comedy community answered the call, and that’s why we’ll be able to present an exciting and varied program.