JFL Toronto Review: John Mostyn
Filed under: Reviews, Festivals
On my way out to my first show of Just For Laughs Toronto 2025, I was starting in a familiar space made unfamiliar. Comedy Bar is easily my favourite space for comedy in the city and the cabaret space my favourite room, and it couldn't have started in a more pleasant way. The space itself has undergone a face lift in the last couple weeks since I was there, and it was new and shiny and the perfect space for John Mostyn to record his new special. For the 8:30 show, John had recruited two pros: Leonard Chan as host and Rachelle Lauzon.
These are two amazing comedians who know the spec. The job of a host and an opener is to warm the crowd, to loosen the laughs, and get them primed for the big act of the night, and these two knew exactly what to bring to the stage. Leonard gave us a great smattering of saucy and cheek while Rachelle gave us a perfect mix of relatable and snark, both tilling the comedy garden readying it for John to come in and sow his seeds.
This is John's second special. His first, The Scotsman (available on Apple TV and Prime Video) was about his journey as an immigrant from Glasgow to Toronto. This second special starts there, but delves more into his personal journey. John's imposing 6'3" presence belies a warm and welcoming nature, this time focusing on his journey with sobriety, dating, and mental health.
John brings a sharp observational style with a humorous insight that can only come from a person who is viewing life in Toronto from an outside perspective. It has the gentle teasing of someone who understands his new home better than many of us who have spent our entire lives living here, which the audience immediately leaned into, giving him a warm reception.
My favourite bit was when he discussed the near fetishistic obsession we Canadians have with accents. It's one of those facts that is entirely obvious once pointed out, but until you are shown the obvious you entirely miss it. John is a consummate professional who has honed his jokes to a fine edge that is a real joy to watch. Lucky for us he's a regular at Comedy Bar, and if you can't catch his show at Just For Laughs, you can always catch one of his regular shows.
Tags: John Mostyn, Leonard Chan, Rochelle Lauzon, Comedy Bar, JFL Toronto, Just for Laughs
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