A Standup Guide to a Funny Little City with The Brunch Club
The Brunch Club 2015 with Big Jay Oakerson - Photo by Sebastian Mora
Bloody February. Such a bummer month, what with its twenty-nine days and demotivating stagnancy. We slog though it because we must, but we’re certainly not going to be cheery about it. We keep our heads down and our social outings minimized, because blankets and home almost always trump pants and human interaction.
But this weekend marks the near-end of February! And there’s fun stuff happening that will blast through your blahs and renew your optimism! The force behind Montreal Comedy Collective “The Brunch Club” presents “A Standup Guide to Montreal”, happening tonight and tomorrow at The Comedyworks.
Tranna Wintour. Fringe Festival 2015. Photo Rachel Levine
This is not your typical comedy show. Each performer has essentially taken a walking tour of Montreal and snapped a series of photos, which will serve as an accompanying slide show for their set. The comics have been instructed to develop a tour of the city that features the unknown, the quirks and the downright odd things about Montreal. So if you’ve seen Tranna Wintour, Asaf Gerchak, Travis Cannon, Iain Macneill, James Watts, DJ Mausner and Nancy Webb’s comedy before, this will be different.
The idea for the show was inspired by a Vice Magazine guide to Toronto that Brunch Club founder Sasha Manoli read as a teenager. “I loved that it was a guide to my home town but that it featured places and perspectives that were new to me. So that nostalgic experience combined with my love of travel shows like Idiot Abroad and Anthony Bourdain are the inspiration for the concept”.
It’s a refreshing change from the usual stand-up format and the kind of creative shake-up the Montreal comedy scene needs. “I pride myself on producing original shows and events” says Manoli.”I like challenging myself and the city’s amazingly talented group of local performers to do new things. ‘A Stand Up Guide To Montreal’ combines original writing and performance with a visual structure and I can tell you that even native Montrealers will see the city in a new light”.
So whether you’re a tourist, a resident or a true Montréalais, put on some pants and head to the Comedyworks for some human interaction. At the very least, you’ll probably learn something.
Brunch Club is at Comedyworks (1238 Bishop) at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. on February 20. $15. Click HERE for tickets.
