As part of the Just For Laughs festival multi-talented performer Mae Martin played the l’Olympia theatre Friday night to a large and appreciative Montreal audience. Martin, a Canuck born in Toronto, is a performer of many talents including comedian, actor, singer, writer, and one third of the popular lesbian comedy podcast Handsome. The show, titled Mae Martin & Friends, featured Martin hosting four unique comics for an entertaining 90-minute set.
Martin has been busy since winning a 2025 Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Special for their Just for Laughs Gala taping. They were also featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution which highlighted the storied history, contributions, and evolution of queer comedy. Martin is also a singer/songwriter who released their first album entitled “I’m a TV” earlier this year.
During Martin’s portion of the show, they delivered their material in their usual circumspect casual style all the while bringing to the stage a delightfully unpretentious and approachable demeanor. Martin tried out some new material while musing about their upbringing, living in Los Angeles, recent purchase of a house (one precariously perched on a cliff), encounters with a local possum, purchasing plants, recent romantic breakup, and experience taking a friend (on mushrooms) to Disneyland. Rather than relying on gimmicks Martin’s comedy is stripped down and unabashedly personal. With their impromptu comedic style, the talented performer is able to reel in audiences with their candid and animated tales relating to their background, love life, career, and uniquely humorous experiences.
Martin’s show featured some of their favorite comedic friends in a show geared to queer and straight audiences alike. The line up included two Brits: Nick Mohammed and ventriloquist Nina Conti as well as fellow Canadian Sabrina Jalees, and tomorrow’s gala host Fortune Feimster. For his portion of the show Mohammed, known for his role on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, energetically performed on roller-skates in a set that included a Rubik’s Cube, deck of cards, and some audience participation. U.K. performer ventriloquist Nina Conti brought along her monkey puppet as well as recruiting a couple from the front row to come on stage and perform for the crowd while adorned in masks.
Martin’s third guest/friend was their “Benefits with Friends” podcast cohost Sabrina Jalees. Born in Toronto to a Pakistani father and Swiss mother Jalees is known not only for her stand up but also for various TV appearances including being a regular cast member on the short-lived television comedy series Carol’s Second Act in 2019. Viewers can currently catch Jalees in the feature I Used to Be Funny on Netflix. Jalees provided perhaps the most personal and poignant portion of last night’s show during a candid discussion on the topic of her and her wife’s two children, her miscarriage while trying to conceive their second son, and the subsequent traumatic experience of getting an abortion.
The show was topped off by gala host Fortune Feimster, who will be performing Saturday July 26th in one of the most anticipated shows at this year’s JFL fest. Feimster used the opportunity to try out some new material and got personal when speaking about her divorce. She recalled several experiences early on in the relationship which seemed to foretell that the couple weren’t destined to last (although they were together for 10 years). Feimster also mused about her and her soon to be ex wife’s differing emotional styles noting that her own way of dealing with problems included stuffing down her feelings with cheeseburgers.
The Mae Martin & Friends show was not only entertaining, but it was refreshing to see the camaraderie between these five diverse comics. The atmosphere in the l’Olympia theatre seemed akin to a gathering of old friends coming together to put on a great show. For lesbian fans the night was particularly noteworthy not only for the chance to enjoy Martin’s unique brand of comedy but also for the opportunity to enjoy the talents of top Sapphic comedy stars Jalees and Feimster. The show, which took place on a particularly hot and sticky Montreal summer night, provided the audience with an evening filled with plenty of laughter, personal anecdotes, and comedic fun. Judging from the audience reception there’s no doubt that a great time was had by all.
Just For Laughs continues until July 27. Info on all shows HERE.
