Sketchfest proud to be all over the map
And so the silly season officially begins in Montreal — and not a moment too soon. For those desperately in need of giggles — of the intentional variety in town, as opposed to the ever-ongoing pothole and orange-cone fests — and who can’t wait until Just for Laughs is launched in July, immediate gratification comes with the 12th Montréal Sketchfest, beginning Thursday and running until May 13.
It’s the largest Sketchfest yet here, featuring more than 200 performers, including nearly 80 troupes, from these parts as well as from all over the continent. Once again the fest’s home base will be Théâtre Sainte-Catherine, but three other venues will be getting into the act this year: Montreal Improv Theatre, MainLine Theatre and ComedyWorks.
And once again, the fest will feature workshops — hosted this year by Sketch luminaries Kirsten Rasmussen and Peter Stevens — as well as panel discussions on the state of the art.
So how exactly goes the state of the art here?
“It has rapidly evolved,” says festival director Erin Hall. “This year’s event is significantly bigger than any before. We were bombarded with applications like never before this year.
“We have gone from sketchy in the eyes of some to one of the most respected sketch fests around.”
Still, some are in the dark as to what constitutes sketch comedy. It falls somewhere between traditional theatre and improv, with elements of standup and physical comedy.
“It’s written and practised beforehand,” Hall says. “But, really, sketch comedy is a mélange of many elements.”
Or as Montréal Sketchfest associate director and member of
Montreal’s Hot Raw Fire troupe, Deirdre Trudeau, puts it: “Sketch comedy is, ultimately, about people’s brains falling open on stage and the performers hoping that people will laugh at that. It’s really rather romantic.”
Can’t top that. Montreal’s Sketch troupes, such as the award-winning Ladies & Gentlemen, Les Lundis d’impro and Big Mall, are not surprisingly rather distinct.
“Our sketchers are known for their freedom of expression,” Hall explains. “They haven’t been brought up by schools like Second City in Chicago and Toronto or UCB Theatre in New York. A lot of the other troupes have a signature style as a result, whereas Montreal troupes are all over the map and viewed as highly creative.”
Then there’s local faves Hot Raw Fire, hosting opening night Thursday at 8 p.m.; participating in Rapp Battlez, Saturday at 11 p.m.; and performing May 12 at 10 p.m. — all at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine. We’ll let trouper Trudeau describe the act: “We call ourselves PG-13 body horror. We do contemporary dance while building a burger from various body parts of our five-person troupe. I guess you could call it a gross-out sketch.”
Thanks for sharing.
Other highlights include:
The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie is a couple duo from Philadelphia specializing in the dark and twisted. They have billed themselves as absurdist “doomed idiots, trying to do the best that we can.” But consider yourselves warned: They are three-time winners of the Dirtiest Sketch In Philadelphia contest. (Thursday at 8 p.m. at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
Rapp Battlez, a Toronto/Montreal amalgam, is hosted by brothers Freddie and Miguel Rivas (who can be caught anchoring the Comedy Network’s The Beaverton). An off-the-wall mix of rap, comedy and otherworldly spectacle, the act has been called 8 mile meets WWE. (Saturday at 11 p.m. at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
Elephant Empire: Though the troupe hails from Hogtown, it has a huge following here and is a fourtime winner of the Sketchfest’s Best of the Fest Award. “Weird, with smart physicality,” marvels Hall. “No bells and whistles, either.” (May 12 at 10 p.m. at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
The Templeton Philharmonic is a Toronto-based, Canadian Comedy Award-nominated duo, known for its “darkly surreal sketches, comedic period pieces and manic dance sequences.” The troupe took Best Comedy Duo honours at the L.A. Comedy Festival and Producer’s Pick at Toronto Sketchfest. (Saturday at 9 p.m. at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine)
Tallboyz II Men, apart from its unique name, is a unique Toronto troupe of culturally diverse standups who agreed to join forces for the greater comedic good. The group nabbed this year’s Toronto Sketchfest Producers’ Pick. (May 10 at 8 p.m. at Théatre SainteCatherine)
All of the these acts are expected to be in the running for Montréal Sketchfest’s highest honour, the Giant Piece of Bark Award — which, after all these years, may more resemble a twig.
Once again, the troupers declared best newcomers get to drink from the coveted Bag of Beer Award — a bag full of beer with a hole poked through it and the winners parked underneath to soak up the suds. Just for Laughs also gives a prize to the best Montreal troupe — won by Hot Raw Fire the last two years.
We have gone from sketchy in the eyes of some to one of the most respected sketch fests around.