Decade just for laughter 2020 | Disenchanted generation

Just for Laughs inaugurated its 2025 edition on Wednesday, the first true under its new administration, and stretched its decades evenings at the Jean-Duceppe theater, a concept that is not really one.

No, immediately warned Suzie Bouchard, no one would dance the Charleston. The 1920s that we were there to celebrate were not the legendary wild, but those, just as crazy, to which we all try to survive: the 2020s. And to add the host: “Not the most glorious decade for just for laughter!” »»

With this concept, the new administration of the flagship of laughter seems to have wanted to invent an alternative to its traditional galas, which will now take place only during the Quebec edition of Just Pour Rire (formerly the comedi! Fest-Québec), while the programming of its Montrealenis faces a lot on French comics.

These decades are an exception there by presenting an areopling of humorists associated with their time, a skillful way of arriving at a certain cohesion of tone and giving the public a clear idea with whom and what he is coming to laugh at. Galas often end up looking like events where, by wanting to please everyone, we don’t please anyone.

The decade presents only being halfway, even if it sometimes gives the impression of lasting for an eternity. It was more about celebrating the future of humor on Wednesday than laughing in the rear view mirror.

But, in any case, “no one is really nostalgic for humor of the 1990s”, to launch Suzie Bouchard in a solid opening number, carried by a convincing confidence in his rhythm. “If you wanted racism and leather coats, you would be in Rawdon in a dog fight. »»

And even if he left just for laughing since 2017, Gilbert Rozon remains, because of his trial, the elephant in the room. No question for Suzie Bouchard to ignore him. He had to greet him and thank him for “still at heart our entertainment”. We do not know who said that humor is the politeness of despair, but he was right.

Our favorites

Among the six guests of Suzie Bouchard, essentially unknown to the general public, including Thomas Bédard, Pascale Marineau and Alexis Fortin, many had wisely opted for the angle of presentations, with what you guess of anecdotes on parents, school and the first jobs.

We suspected it, and it would be confirmed: if it was a question on Wednesday evening of the 2020s, it would only be by the band, the guest comedians who rather unpacked numbers who already seemed to be part of their repertoire. The concept therefore was mainly due to the sale argument, not from the imposed figure.

Our first surprise belongs to Jay Laliberté, the animator of the delusional Characters’ podcast, which, with a timid attitude, has embarked on the wacky story of an order of ham at the counter of the cold meats of its supermarket. Absurd and perfectly constructed, his number recalled Jean-Thomas Jobin from the time when he vanished simple things. At a time when very earthly everyday life dominates the imagination of Quebec humorists, this quirky tone is doing much good.

With his bewildered mouth of Petit-Cousin by Denis Drolet, Louis Girard-Bock also shone in a number which, under the cover of self-mockery, drew a uncompromising portrait of the socio-economic horizon which people of its generation face.

A horizon that makes him regret the comfort of the house of his dentist mother, who was equipped with some of these luxuries which are lacking in his apartment, such as insulation. The Grand Gaillard already has a bonhomie and a singularity on which beautiful careers can be built.

As for Magali Saint-Vincent, co-host of the enjoyable Balado series Golden Top Gwho parodies the barbies of the web, she is all the guests on Wednesday the one whose writing seems most able to sublimate painful, even vulnerability, situations in laughter. His cross description of the wealthy family of his ex and hers, more helpless, touched at times with a form of truth that ends up allowing a humorist to create something other than just laughs.

It was left in Suzie Bouchard to wish us a remaining decade under the sign of audacity, diversity and “at least as possible sex scandals”.

Our verdict

With tickets a little at the bottom of the $ 50 mark, these decades just for laughs do not have to be ashamed, but are so stripped of artifice that it is allowed to wonder what distinguishes them exactly from what can be experienced all year round in many comedy clubs.

Arnaud Soly, Cathy Gauthier, Dominic and Martin, Silvi Tourigny, Mona de Grenoble and Tommy Néron will lead the other evenings celebrating the decades of 1990s, 2000, 2010 and 2020 until Sunday.

Consult the evening page Decades just for laughter