Ladyfest 2024 Preview
While the aisles are already jammed with Halloween bric à brac, I'm here to remind you that summer's still on and the festivals are still coming! Forget pumpkin spice, I suggest we change the name of this in-between space to Ladyfest Season! Yes, y’all, the funny females and femmes are back for another star studded festival guaranteed to get you giggling.
As long as there's been stand-up comedy, there have been funny chicks and femme presenting comics. All too often, they’re booked as tokens, having one per show at best. Ladyfest is a one-of-a-kind lineup where these fab femmes and non-binary folks get to flex their funny and flaunt their lived experiences in an appreciative space.
The 2024 edition marks the festival's 10th anniversary, a truly epic milestone.
Sara Meleika and Abby Stonehouse are running the whole kit n’ kaboodle, a role not for the faint of heart, but perfect in the hands of these Queens. It’s a busy job, so I’m lucky I had the chance to speak with Abby about the festival, and her role in the organization.
“Ladyfest was one of the first comedy festivals that I was part of 7 years ago. It's such a thrill to perform for Ladyfest each year. It always has such a warm and welcoming audience. As a female comedian, there is still a struggle to get stage time. Men dominate the scene. There are still shows that have zero femme comedians on the lineup. There are so many hilarious PRO femme comedians that there is no excuse anymore. Ladyfest is an opportunity to come together, highlight all of our talents and have fun.
Now that I am one of the directors (how did that happen?!), I see how much work and thoughtfulness past directors put into this. Sara Meleika -- who is leading this -- is so inspiring. She makes sure that all voices are highlighted in this festival. People of colour, and the queer community, are not overlooked.
This festival just wants to prove once and for all that women ARE funny!”
This year almost all the shows are at Mainline Theatre, so you can put yourself on autopilot, and take yourself back there for show after super show.
Here's the lowdown on what to be where for when:
The shenanigans kick off at Mainline Theatre on Tuesday, September 3, @ 7 PM with Debout-es / Stand-Up, a bilingual queer and feminist stand-up night that promotes women, queer and trans folx! Get your tickets here!
Stay for Zaddies @ 830 PM. It's a Drag King comedy show, an alternative and inclusive drag show produced by Sloan Kooshan. Zaddies is witty and funny, with a diverse cast dismantling toxic masculinity, breaking the binary, and eradicating patriarchy! Get your tickets here!
In the South West that night? There's comedy there too! Stand-Up St. Henri presents Ladyfest in the Sud-Ouest at Montreal Improv! It's a special all femme festival edition hosted by Merry Kringles, featuring Andrina Learmonth, Adrienne Roy, Belén Arenas, Elspeth Wright, Monica Hamburg, Raquel Maestre, and Shosho Abotouk. Tickets are a steal, get ‘em right here!
On Wednesday, September 4 get ready for a transformation @ 7 PM. From Normal to Royal: An Improv Princess Story invites you to experience the magic of a royal transformation in real-time. Join some of Montreal’s best improvisers for a night of spontaneous fairy-tale fun, brimming with humor and heart. Grab your tiara, and get ready for a show inspired by the beloved book and film franchise! Featuring Brooklyn Melnyk, Elly Pond, Kristina Gueverra, Laurence Côté, Léa Fournier, Maryam Nour, and Sirine Abdallah. Tickets right here!
Make it a double header and hang out for Pretty Funny Burlesque vs Standup @ 830 PM. This fan-favorite show returns with an all-lady lineup, featuring burlesque petformers alongside comedians, hosted by Velvet La Touche and Sara Quinn. For this special edition, Velvet has assembled a team of three burlesquers and physical comedians (Maïté Sinave, Ri Ma, and Sugar Vixen), while Sara has chosen three of her top standup picks (Marianne Mandrusiak, Yumi Blake, and Kyra Carleton). Each act will be scored by the audience! Grab your tickets here.
On Thursday September 5, @ 7 PM, Tongues presents Flavours to Savour. Tongues is a zesty, all lady and enby sketch group. Flavours to Savour is a comedy variety show for the Girls, Gays, and Theys. On the menu are sweet and savoury options, a few specials, and most definitely, something hot and spicy in the mix. Order’s up! Tip your waitress, and get your fresh baked tickets here.
Grab a drink or a smoke and stay put for They Go Low, We Go Laugh @ 830 PM. Women of Colour (& Friends!) express their comedic voices in new and vibrant ways! This is a variety show where folx of colour and marginalized identities may do stand-up, improv, storytelling, solo sketch, a poem, a monologue, a song, you name it! - all in the name of shining a little bit more light in this world. We invite all to celebrate our voices with us. Featuring Sara Meleika, Surer Qaly Deria, Marlyne, Carmina Berbari Daou, Shahlla, and Mina Minou. Get your laughs on, and get your tickets here.
But the night's not done! Grab another drink and another smoke, and stay for the late show @ 10 PM. Parton & Pearl present a hilarious hootenanny of music and comedy. This floor show will feature Montreal's mavens of mirth with a night of song and storytelling featuring Ariane Monzerolle, Lady Fingers, Rena Taylor, Shanthony Exum, and Uñas Escondidas. Tickets right here, y’all.
Friday September 6, come get your nerd fix at Battle of Wits @ 7 PM. This one's a comedy game show for trivia lovers, detectives, and those who love the unexpected. [Surprises? That last line implies surprises…what's gonna happen?! Gotta be there to find out.] Featuring Joanna Selvarajah, Eve Parker Finlay, and Raquel Maestre. Don't let the FOMO get you, get your tickets now.
Stay where you are and catch A Very Pretentious Comedy Show @ 830 PM. Raquel Maestre hosts with Florence at the piano, and Elspeth Wright headlining a lineup featuring: Marianne Mandrusiak, Mbissine, Mason Terry, and Caroline Garon. Get your tickets right here.
But wait! There's more! At 10 PM Cabaret Debauch takes the stage with a comedy and cabaret show like no other! Revel in the sizzling performances of burlesque, drag, stand-up and sketch comedy by. Produced Lucy Gervais and Melissa G., the multi-talented lineup features Mina Minou, Tongues, Mariam Khan, Léo Luxe, Malinka Molotov, Petro. Grab your tickets here!
Saturday night starts with the Ladyfest Showcase @ 830 PM. This inaugural event will be hosted by Abby Stonehouse and will feature six other stellar Montreal comedians ready to make you roar with laughter. This will be a vibrant celebration of femme comedians bringing together a diverse array of talents from across the city and beyond. Don't miss it! Tickets right here.
At 10 PM Montreal’s hottest stand-up comedians not only perform their material, but try DRAG as Psyberia presents Secret Comedian Drag Race. Six mysterious and absolutely stellar comedians will enter the world of drag and compete for the title of the Next Drag Comedian Superstar of Montreal! Psyberia and their very special guests will judge the comedy round, then the top 2 contestants will face off in an epic lip-sync showdown for the win! This will be a hot ticket item, so get 'em here.
On the last day of the festival, head over to Théâtre St. Catherine for Sunday Night Improv. Montreal’s longest running improv show features some of Montreal’s best improvisers and stand up comedians, special guests from all parts of the globe, and the best up and coming improvisers from our free workshop series. Tickets live here.
Meanwhile at Mainline, it's Lexperts @ 7 PM. Lauren Mallory and Raquel Maestre host a comedy show where a crew of very online comedians roast a certain queer app, its users, and Silicon Valley. If you thought Lex posts were unhinged, wait until you see this show. With Eve Parker Finley, Ray Resvick and Becca Redden. Get your tickets right here right now!
The festival closes out with QT Shop Talk, Sunday @ 830 PM. QT Shop Talk is a hybrid show and workshop space where new and seasoned comics get to try new material both in a safer closed space and on stage! The show prioritizes bringing Queer and Trans comics to the stage. Grab these tickets.
