I have been reviewing this festival for a long time now, and one thing remains as true as ever: The Alternative Show is the best show of the fest.
The new producers of JFL Toronto are doing a lot of things right this year. First of all, The Alternative Show is back at the original Comedy Bar location.
James Adomian, if you don't already know him, is your favourite comedian's favourite comedian. He can also do an impression of your favourite comedian so accurate that you don't realize he's not your favourite comedian. Then when you do realize, he will be your favourite comedian.
I put him in the category of the Jonathan Winters of our generation.
In an effort not to bury the lede: You're going to want to see Conner O'Malley.
In a time when the news is overwhelming and it feels like satire might be dead – because reality is just too over the top – his show on Saturday at JFL Toronto was actually kind of healing. It made me laugh in a way that almost knocked me off balance and I didn't see coming.
Another JFL Toronto has come and gone. It's been such a treat to see so many masters at work, each showcasing their talent in their own unique way. One of the most memorable among them was Patti Harrison, with a show that sent a shock wave of mixed emotions through The Royal Theatre.
Ottawa's Graham Kay, who now calls Brooklyn home, has built up quite the comedy résumé.
I got the chance to catch up on Zoom with the charming and talented Sydnee Washington ahead of her appearances at the Toronto Just for Laughs Festival.
You can catch Syndee's solo show "How to Start a Fire" at JFL Toronto every night at Comedy Bar from September 27-30.
Summers in Toronto are magical, and the Just for Laughs comedy festival is a perfect way to end one with a bang. It's 10 days of your favourite entertainers, the weather is right, and last call stretches 'til the wee hours.
As someone in the funny business, I often struggle between the urge to see and be seen, and the pleasure of my couch + a cozy list of grievances.
One of my favorite things about Toronto's Just for Laughs Festival is that some of the acts are really great at showing you how the sausage gets made.
If you don't know who Vir Das is by this point, that's on you, because he's very busy. Most recently, the stand-up comic released an all-crowd work special which was recorded over Zoom -- two phrases that make him a comedy daredevil. This marks his 4th special for Netflix.
Kurt Braunohler has been embracing the bananas since well before he had a podcast of the same name. A stand-up comedian, actor, and improviser, Kurt's material ranges from the conversational to the absurdist, and has always been willing to go to new places.
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