Brits head for Montreal

Jack Whitehall and Daniel Sloss are to perform at this year’s Just For Laughs festival in Montreal, it has been announced.

Whitehall is to front a flagship gala show – 13 years after his only other appearance at the festival when he was part of the New Faces emerging talent showcase.

However with films such as Clifford The Big Red Dog and Jungle Cruise and his Netflix series Travels With My Father, his North American profile is now more enough to be a headline draw for the 1,500-capacity Theatre Maisonneuve

Meanwhile, Sloss will make his third appearance at the festival, performing his latest stand-up show Can’t for three nights a tthe 425-seat Gesu venue from July 25 to July 27.

Other acts announced for the 41st Montreal festival include Ali Wong, Russell Peters, Anthony Jeselnik, Tom Papa and Queer Eye’s Anthony Jeselnik.

The Brit(ish) gigs showcasing UK acts will also be returning, but no  line-up has yet been announced.

Just For Laughs draws industry players from New York and Los Angeles and has a formidable reputation for helping launch comedians’ US careers.  Highlights over the decades include Norm MacDonald’s and Jim Carrey’s festival debuts, John Candy hosting HBO’s first live comedy special live from the festival and  Rowan Atkinson debuting Mr. Bean. Jimmy Fallon, Dave Chappelle and Tim Allen also got major breaks after appearing at Just For Laughs.

This year's event runs from July 14 to 29, with the English language programming focussed on the end of the fortnight.

Just For Laughs president Bruce Hills said: ‘With this great roster of star power already lined up for this summer, this year promises non-stop laughter and unforgettable experiences. We have many more announcements to come, as our festival continues to celebrate the power of humour to bring people together, and to provide a platform for new stars to be discovered"/‘

More details and tickets are available at the official website.

Published: 13 Apr 2023