Montreal line-ups unveiled

The full line-up for this summer’s Montreal comedy festival has been unveiled.

John Cleese will be hosting one of the key, televised gala shows, with Seinfeld star Jason Alexander and Scottish comic turned US chat show host Craig Ferguson hosting two others.

And, for the first time, one of the shows will be dedicated entirely to Irish comedians, with a bill that includes Ed Byrne, Owen O'Neill, Andrew Maxwell, David O'Doherty, Colin Murphy, Tommy Tiernan and Jason Byrne.

Special events include full-length shows by  Bill Cosby, Margaret Cho and John Pinette, the star of the 2004 festival.

There is also a small series of one-man shows called Flying Solo, which includes Stewart Lee’s 90s Comedian, Phil Nichol’s Nearly Gay, Tim Minchin’s Darkside and Demetri Martin’s These Are Jokes.

Invitations to the prestigious Just For Laughs festival are valued as it is attended by almost all the big players in American comedy, and can be a vital launching pad for a US career.

As well as the big shows, there are a series of club nights, all themed.

The line-up for the Britcom night includes Tom Allen, Fred MacAulay, Jimmy Carr, Russell Howard, Stewart Lee and Gina Yashere.

And the Late Night Down Under bill includes Tim Minchin, Jarred Christmas, Tom Gleeson and Fiona O'Loughlin.

The festival runs from July 13 to 23, which most of the English language programming in the second week.

Published: 15 May 2006