JFL 2018
How would you like your comedy served? The Gentlemen Heckler providing live commentary for the teen vampire flick Twilight? The genius of Maria Bamford (my personal favourite comedy goddess), whose reluctant love for humanity may save us all? An expert deadpan storyteller, Mike Bribiglia, who has now perfected his craft of sophisticated layered stories? A live podcast taping? A steady stream of surprise performers? You can have it all and more.
JFL NorthWest hits Vancouver from March 1st to 10th with several dozen shows in which all kinds of people do all kinds of comedy. What ties the event together is cool, imaginative events that will be all kinds of funny.
If you haven’t seen Maria Bamford in person, on TV or in one of her comedy specials, then you have hours of enjoyment ahead of you. Bamford goes miles beyond the personal observational comedy that plays in most clubs, although she has been commended for tackling issues around her own mental health in her act and on her Netflix show Lady Dynamite. She communicates a vision that is awkward and strange and hilarious in its sneakiness but is above all kind.
I am thrilled for the chance to see Mike Bribiglia for the first time. If you don’t know his work then I recommend a recent podcast he did looking back on his first five albums/shows with luminaries like John Mulaney, Judd Apatow, Ira Glass, and his wife Jenny providing commentary, context and jokes galore. It is an intensely personal and interesting look at professional comedy, putting a show together, the writing process and how to actually be funny (probably the hardest thing in the world). Thank God for Jokes is perhaps his best show - you can also listen to a bunch of his great stories on This American Life.
Todd Barry (famous for his crowd work) returns. Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher host the excellent stand up podcast Put Your Hands Together. Kyle Kinane charms with his spontaneity and anger. The buzz for Beth Stelling is justified - she has presence and something to say. If you like a fearless comedian who lives to offend then try Anthony Jeselnik. Rachel Feinstein is super funny and has been on all those American comedy shows that build stars.
Local favourites include The Sunday Service (March 4th at the Fox Cabaret), The Lady Show (Redgate Revue Stage on March 8th), Barely Legal (with my favourite Sophie Buddle at the Slice of Life Gallery on March 2nd) and Jokes Please! (March 1st, Little Mountain). And take note, the visiting comedians pretty much always turn up to do a set at some of these shows, so if you want a cheap way to enjoy some international talent then hit one of these.
The festival has also included a lot of podcasters so you can sit in on tapings of luminous local shows like Stop Podcasting Yourself (Graham Clark and Dave Shumka with famous guests) and Retail Nightmares, as well as shows from south of the border like Queery. Also, legendary show This Is That (Vogue on March 4) will be on hand with a new version of their hit touring live show which includes both scripted and improvised material. There is also a full program of comedy films and short films, and panels on topics like screenwriting. So many choices, and not a bad one in sight.