Entertainment events
to watch July 26 to 31
The shows go on with Just For Laughs, NYC’s Irish Rep and MTL’s Black Theatre Workshop
By Byron Toben
July 22, 2021
As July closes out, we note three events: the 40th annual Just For Laughs Comedy Festival; a new streamed play from the Irish Repertory Theater; and a live presentation from the Black Theatre Workshop.
July 26 to 31
This year, the Just For Laughs Festival has gone “hybrid” big time. Almost all the shows stream for free. As this article goes to press, we have not received details of the events on July 26 or 27. However, there are about 14 events, mostly free, available on July 28 and 29. A breakdown in great detail can be found on the festival’s site.
For your convenience, I have prepared this handy summary.
Neil Brennan – Image: courtesy of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival
Wednesday, July 28
STREAMED SHOWS
Comedy Gold Mines
Quake House
The Ladies Room
Date Night
AWARDS SHOW
The Nasty Show
Eat My Shorts
Performance of the Year – Jean Smart
JFL LA – Kevin Hart Interviews Neal Brennan
JFL NY – Dulce Sloan hosts
LIVE SHOWS
Club Soda (live shows also go online July 30)
7 pm – JFL Live in Montreal
10 pm – Comedy Night in Canada
7 pm and 9 pm – Comedy Nest
Ali Hassan – Image: courtesy of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival
Thursday, July 29
STREAMED SHOWS
The Alternative Show
Variety 10 to watch
JFL LA – host Sabrina Jalets
Friday, July 30
STREAMED SHOWS
In Conversation with Bert Kreicher
Comedy Night in Canada with host Ali Hassan
JFL Live in Montreal with host Jon Dore
In addition to these free shows above, JFL has, as usual, a fee-based companion Comedy Pro selection for those in the industry.
The Cordelia Dream playwright Marina Carr (centre) with actors Stephen Brennan and Danielle Ryan – Image: courtesy of the Irish Repertory Theater
July 27 to August 8
The inventive Irish Repertory Theater in NYC presents, from Dublin, The Cordelia Dream. Us Shakespeare fans will recognize the name of King Lear’s honest daughter who, tho loving, refused to declare over-the-top flattery as did her two evil sisters, and was banished for her reluctance. I, for one, am anxious to see how our modern eyes treat this 16th-century fictional character who is real in many ways.
Black and Blue Matters – Image: courtesy of the Black Theatre Workshop
July 28 and 29
Montreal’s Black Theatre Workshop takes steps to keep live events well, alive, with spirited rap music artists strutting their stuff in Black and Blue Matters at an empty baseball park, Parc Vinet, not far east from the Lionel Groulx Metro. Free at intervals of 8 pm, 8:45 pm and 9:30 pm.
Feature image: Just For Laughs Awards, courtesy of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival
More articles from Byron Toben
Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.
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