Just for Laughs 2022 reviews: Maria Bamford, New Faces of Comedy, The Alternative Show

After two years of virtual and hybrid shows due to the pandemic, the 40th edition of Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival is back in full force.

Read on for reviews of three shows from this year’s edition, including the incomparable Maria Bamford, the New Faces of Comedy showcase, and The Alternative Show.

You can find all of our Just for Laughs coverage including interviews and reviews here.

Maria Bamford – Club Soda – July 27

Maria Bamford is often regarded as one of the best stand-ups in the world and her solo show at Just for Laughs only further cemented that stellar reputation. Weaving darkly comic tales in her distinctive squeaky voice, Bamford tackles the most difficult subjects imaginable (including anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation) and manages to wring laughter from the darkness. With her stellar voice work (fans may recognize her as the voice of the Anxiety Mosquito in Netflix’s Big Mouth), an incredibly expressive face and her underrated physical comedy, Bamford delivered a masterclass in oddball stand-up that felt like a cathartic communal experience.

New Faces of Comedy – Monument National – July 27

With all the superstar talent present at Just for Laughs each year, it’s always worth remembering that this is a festival where many of the biggest comics in the world first got their big break. The annual New Faces of Comedy showcase is a show put together by the festival each year to put the best emerging comics in the business in front of a large audience, including hundreds of industry members in town for the fest.

This year’s New Faces lineup was broken up into two shows; the show we caught featured an incredible group of diverse and hilarious young comics that we’ll likely be hearing much more from in the coming years.

Hosted by Pete Holmes, highlights from the show included Ali Kolbert musing on why women love serial killers, Gianmarco Soresi on how he’s a fierce ally (until it comes to gentrification), and Pink Foxx explaining how to steal the girlfriends of friends, leading to a crowd sing-along to ”My Girl.”

With a killer cast of hungry young comics, this year’s New Faces of Comedy was one of the best shows at this year’s festival. Put it on your radar for next year and secure those early bragging rights before anyone else.

The Alternative Show – Mainline Theatre – July 26

With long-time show host Andy Kindler sitting this year out, The Alternative Show still proved to be one of the best bets at Just for Laughs. Originally scheduled to be hosted by the Sklar Brothers, the hosting duties fell to Canada’s own Mark Forward, who did an admirable job warming up the midnight crowd on a Tuesday night (not exactly prime comedy hour).

With a surprise lineup of comics each night, this edition of The Alternative Show included sets from the great Sophie Buddie, Pete Holmes, UK comic Phil Wang, and even an appearance from the Sklar Brothers themselves, who made it to the venue just in time to squeeze in a quick set.

While nearly every comic mentioned how tired they were performing in the middle of the night on a weekday, the great mix of comedians and the overall surprise element of the night makes the Alternative Show a can’t-miss festival staple.