Going to Montreal, Just for Laughs
Montreal, Canada
By
Jennifer Leo
For 10 days in July the Quartier Latin in Montreal will be overtaken by fire-eaters, human statues, jugglers, circus acts, and street performers. Celebrating it's 21st birthday, Juste Pour Rire/Just for Laughs is the world's largest comedy festival and 94 companies of entertainers will have Canada's second largest city laughing it's head off. Come on down to de Maisonneuve Blvd., Ontario St on the grounds of UQAM and St. Denis Street where there will be six stages set up for fixed outdoor entertainment.
Bill Cosby, Blue Man Group, Carl Reiner, Kelly Rippa, Tina Fey, Paul Rodriguez, and Brad Garrett are some of the headliners that will be splitting your sides at indoor venues during the fest which lasts from July 10-20. Also of note is the Twins Parade on Saturday July 19, where you will see more than 2000 twins of all ages, spanning 8 generations.
More than forty different kinds of shows will be held during Just for Laughs. They will take place at a variety of theatres and clubs, including the Bell Centre, Place des Arts, Centaur Theatre, Club Soda, and Koala Note, to name a few. For those who can laugh till the end, the fest will close with a 21,000 egg farewell meal. Join 9,999 others for this omelette extravaganza which will begin at 2:30p.m., July 20, on St. Denis St.
A sampling of shows is below, or you can visit the FULL SHOW
LIST.
For more information on how to attend, visit their Ticket Page
Best of the Fest
Best of the Uptown Comics
Big City Comedy
Britcom
Confessing It!
Globecom
Headliners
New Faces of Comedy
On the Edge Series - Best Montreal Fringe Festival
On the Edge Series - Reading It
Queer Comics
Talk of the Fest
Wiseguys
Attention should be also paid to the cinematic side of Just for Laughs.
Comedia: The World's Best Comedy Films
With 25 films to choose from, here are just a few that caught my eye:
Cinemania:
Directed by Angela Christlief and Stephen Kijak, it is a documentary of people who's entire existences revolve around the movies. To be exact, the following of five of NYC's most devoted cinemaniacs.
Crime Spree:
Starring Gerard Depardiau, Harvey Keitel, Johnny Hallyday, and Renaud, it's ultra-cool French career criminals vs. Chicago's meanest mobsters.
The Hebrew Hammer:
From Jonathan Kesselman, this is the Jewish Shaft.
The Legend of Al, John, And Jack:
The Italian equivalent of the Marx Bros, with a New York gangster spin.
Manitou's Shoe:
A German Blazing Saddles.
The Other Network:
From Director Ben Stiller and Conan O'Brien, and starring Jack Black and Owen Wilson (among many others), this is a collection of previously unaired pilots for TV that could've been great.
Ticket info for Comedia.
If you can't make it to Montreal, you can take a peek at Just for Laughs through their Festicam. If you CAN come to Just for Laughs, please come to my author reading. Christine Michaud and I will be reading our stories from the hilarious Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write From the Road. It will be held Thursday July 17, 2003 at 7p.m., at Place Montreal Trust - Indigo, 1500 McGill College Avenue.
Virgin Montreal
Montreal has been on my radar since I saw The Score with Ed Norton and Robert De Niro. It was De Niro's jazz bar and brick-laden loft that caught my eye. If I ever got to visit Montreal and experience those two things, it'd be enough for me. For one night. Since I'll be in town for five nights, I did a little research to see what other flavors I could get from the Paris of the west.
Here are the Top 10 things I want to do:
- Take the Smoked Meat Sandwich Challenge: Schwartz's vs. The Main
- Punch the Clock on My Global Casino Timecard: Casino-de-Montreal
- All That Jazz! Will it be the popular Biddles, diehard Upstairs, or swinging 60s style Jello Bar?
- Enjoy some outdoor dining on a terrace
- Scrub up for a stroll through Vieux Montreal
- Walk the streets of Old Montreal
- People watch in Geek Town
- City tour by bike
- See what Lebanese fast food is all about at Basha's
Cyber Trip Tips
BootsnAll: The Montreal Travel Guide: I liked Norman Goldman's "Smoked Meat Sandwiches" and "Bagel" articles the best. Ed Hawco's "General Info" has a good overview of practical tips, too.
Echoes of Paris in Montreal: An experiential tour through Montreal via a mother/daughter's summer escape.
Hemispheres Magazine: Montreal native Stephen Beaumont recommends his Top 21 faves in"Three Perfect Days/Montreal."
Lonely Planet Montreal: I like how they wrote up their "Getting Around" and "Orientation" section.
Montreal e-Guide!: This is a great list of quality budget meals. Most of these restaurants serve a meal for under $10 (and with some that includes a beer, tax, and tip!).
MontrealPlus.ca: This is a great site for finding out What's On. Best restaurants and bars, hiking guides, cycling guides, golf guides, cool streets, old Montreal, hot tickets and events, and MORE.
moreMontreal.com: A Montreal portal for all you need to know before, during, and after your visit. Loved your trip? moreMontreal has info on how to help you move there, too.
National Geographic Travelwise: Montreal: NG Travelwise is one of my favorite places to look up info on a destination. They've got it down for online leads. For traditional guidebook info online - all the practical stuff of transportation, where to eat, where to stay, things to do, maps, media and more - visit this site. They'll link you up!
Tourism Montreal: Maps, events, travel deals, and an image gallery to prime your pump.
Weather for Montreal: Check out the forecast for Montreal.
Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.
