ComediHa! settles in at Place des Arts: a breath of fresh air for Montreal comedy

After having acquired shares in the Just for Laughs Group, which is undergoing restructuring, the ComediHa! Agency, a Quebec City icon, is holding its first major festival for Montrealers—entitled ComediHa! Hello Montreal—from July 18 to 28, presented as part of its 25th anniversary. We spoke to CEO and founder, Sylvain Parent-Bédard.

Montreal’s comedy landscape is undergoing a big change, and the city came close to experiencing a summer without a major comedy festival in 2024. It’s unimaginable! The ComediHa! Agency has come to the rescue. “We’re already active internationally and thrilled with our presence in Quebec City and across the province, but it’s clear that Montreal, as a global comedy hub, has been in our sights for a long time!” explains Sylvain Parent-Bédard. The 2024 festival—put together with love but at breakneck speed—is an unpretentious gateway into the world of ComediHa! and an invitation to begin a stimulating long-term relationship.

Stand-up, but that’s not all!

ComediHa! doesn’t simply limit itself to traditional stand-up comedy. The festival offers a variety of shows, ranging from comedic plays to musicals, including performances in French and English. “We want people to come out and have fun with friends and family, and to leave the venues with lasting memories,” says the CEO.

While some critics feel that the comedy galas popularized by Just for Laughs are outdated, Parent-Bédard prefers to take a more nuanced view. “We’ve had success with the gala format for years, and while reforms are being considered, we’re not as quick as others to say that galas are a thing of the past. We’re going to do an analysis and put short-, medium- and long-term plans in place, but these kinds of formats are still relevant if they showcase various forms of comedy and allow for some reinvention and daring.” This is proven, according to Parent-Bédard, by the success of international festivals like Montreux Comedy in Switzerland, which has modernized comedy galas and successfully shared them through short, effective clips on social media.

At Place des Arts, three main series

For its first year in Montreal, ComediHa! is presenting three main series at Place des Arts:

1. Y’a de quoi rire: A show featuring multiple artists in Théâtre Jean-Duceppe, hosted by Billy Tellier and Korine Côté, with a variety of comedians performing their often-exclusive acts. Much like a gala, but with a more intimate and unpretentious twist, the format brings together established artists and new faces.
2. C’est l’heure du rire: A series presented in Salle Claude-Léveillée, dedicated to rather left-field, edgy, and unusual styles of comedy, featuring Richardson Zéphir, Jean-Michel Martel, Josiane Aubuchon, and Rachelle Elie.
3. Comedy Hour: A series of English-language shows, each lasting 60 minutes flat, often a stop for comedians who are rehearsing or are about to perform their one-man shows. “They come to present their strongest 60 minutes,” explains Sylvain Parent-Bédard.

A main event in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier

One of the most highly anticipated evenings is Jean-Marc Parent’s L’événement JMP. This show, initially planned only for Quebec City, promises to be a memorable one, according to ComediHa!’s big cheese.

International vision

ComediHa! has not just made a name for itself in Quebec. The festival is well established internationally, with partnerships in Switzerland, Belgium, India, and elsewhere. “We have nearly 50 million subscribers worldwide on various platforms,” notes its CEO. This global reach allows ComediHa! to spread Quebec comedy well beyond the province’s borders.

The Montreal festival, well-established locally, is nevertheless a new anchor point in Quebec. We wish it a long life!

ComediHa! Hello Montreal comes to life at Place des Arts from July 18 to 28, 2024.