The Montreal Comedy Scene: Two Languages, One Love for Laughs
A City That Laughs in Two Languages
Montreal is a bilingual city, and its comedy scene is no different. On any given night, you can find standup in French, standup in English, and sometimes both under the same roof.
For many years, the Montreal comedy scene was heavily dominated by French. Quebec has a deep humour culture, with homegrown stars, sold out theatres and a loyal audience that shows up night after night.
In the last decade, that started to shift. A wave of independent producers began pushing harder for English comedy, building new rooms, new shows and new opportunities for comics who perform in English. Laugh It Off MTL is proud to be part of that push.
So what does the scene actually look like today? Here is an honest look from inside it.
The French Side: Deep Roots, Province Wide
There is no doubt that French comedy in Quebec is more developed and more respected than English comedy. It has the history, the infrastructure and the audience.
It also has the talent pool. There is a lot of English talent in Montreal, but there is even more in French. Many francophone comics have been grinding for years, and the path from open mic to paid gigs to TV and theatre tours is well established.
You can see it in the clubs. Montreal has more dedicated French comedy clubs than English ones, with rooms like Le Bordel Comédie Club and Le Terminal Comédie Club on Mont Royal Avenue running shows, open mics and rodage nights where comics test material for their next solo show. On the English side, the dedicated clubs are The Comedy Nest and the 3rd Floor Comedy Club.
The French scene also extends far beyond Montreal. Comedy in French thrives across the whole province, from Quebec City to the regions. English comedy, by contrast, is focused primarily in Montreal.
The English Side: Young, Fresh and Hungry
The English comedy scene in Montreal is new. That is its biggest challenge and also its biggest strength.
Unlike in some major comedy cities, where most comics have a decade or more under their belt, a lot of the comics you talk to here got into English standup in the last few years. The scene is young, driven and passionate. People are writing constantly, hitting multiple mics a week and building something from the ground up.
The same goes for the people running the shows. There are only a handful of English indie comedy producers in the city, and many of them emerged in the last two years. Bars, restaurants and hidden lounges across the city now host weekly English showcases that did not exist not long ago.
That energy is contagious. When a scene is this fresh, every new room matters and every good show helps the whole community grow.
English Comedy Is Far From Dead
Less developed does not mean dead, and it definitely does not mean unfunny. English comedy in Montreal is alive and getting better every month.
Part of what keeps it exciting is the city's place on the comedy map. Montreal is home to Just for Laughs, and when the festival takes over each July, comedians from all over the world come to town. Many touring comics drop into local indie rooms for guest sets while they are here, and plenty more pass through Montreal on tour throughout the year.
For local comics, that means sharing a stage with people they grew up watching. For audiences, it means a $10 bar show can turn into a night you talk about for years.
Why English Comedy Deserves More Love
The English comedy scene in Montreal deserves more love, and honestly, it needs it.
Every ticket sold, every new room opened and every show that fills up sends a signal. When comics see real opportunities to become paid comedians, new talent comes. People who have been sitting on a notebook of jokes finally sign up for an open mic. Comics from other cities start seeing Montreal as a place worth moving to.
Investment also helps the comics who are already here. More stage time means more chances to refine sets, write new material and simply get better. That is how a scene matures: more reps, better shows, bigger audiences, and around again.
As a community, the more we invest, the faster that cycle spins.
Competitors on Paper, Community in Practice
Technically, the different shows around town are in competition. We are all chasing the same Friday night crowd.
But one thing is clear. Every producer in this city, each with their own room or several, shares a passion for comedy and wants Montreal to flourish.
As a producer here for just over a year, I have seen comedians and producers from all walks of life come out to support our shows, share insight and give advice. We do the same for them. Someone lends a mic, someone shares a lineup tip, someone shows up on a slow Tuesday just to fill a seat.
Is there drama? Some. This is show business after all. But the scene is still too new for much of it, and it never stops the love from taking over and spreading.
Give Montreal Comedy a Chance
If you are looking for something fun to do in Montreal, give the comedy scene a chance. French or English, club or bar, there is a show for you almost every night of the week.
Who knows? You might catch Sugar Sammy dropping into one of the rooms, or discover the next up and coming comic before everyone else does.
With Laugh It Off MTL, you get a bonus: our shows happen in some of the city's best bars, restaurants and hidden spots, from the Lachine Canal to Old Montreal to NDG. So you discover great comedy and great places at the same time.
Check out our upcoming shows and come laugh with us.