WATCH: The Comedy Works on Bishop Street in Montreal is getting a new lease on life
MONTREAL — In a city where politics and language laws can be a blood sport, Montrealers have always looked for an outlet to laugh a little at their lot in life. That’s why comedy festivals and comedy clubs do so well in the city.
But last June, one popular venue was silenced after more than two decades of making people laugh and sometimes uncontrollably snort beverages out of their noses.
The Comedyworks on Bishop Street closed last summer when founder Jimbo Skomorowski shut it down citing, among other things, parking near his establishment. The parking lot that was across the street on Bishop was gone, replaced with a shiny new condo complex.
But things have changed in eight short months; Thursday was opening night.
There’s a new owner, Troy Lourensse, and the General Manager, Ian Campbell, is a survivor of the previous establishment and a veteran of comedy clubs for decades.
Renovations have given the venue a new, but still familiar feel, and the parking problems of less than a year ago seem to have been solved. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, The Comedyworks has been reborn.
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The second floor club was redone. The main floor is still being worked on, to be turned into a high end cocktail lounge called “John Doe.” And not only is there indoor parking nearby, there’s even valet service.
Some could say that English Montrealers may have a spoiled funny bone. The return of Comedyworks means once again there are three clubs dedicated to laughter: the “Works” along with The Comedy Nest and Yuk Yuks.
The Comedyworks expects to be back in business as a feeder location for Just For Laughs, where both talented local and international comics might drop by during the festival to flex their chuckle chops and work out the kinks for an upcoming set at one of the world’s biggest comedy festivals.
Comedyworks is offering a single show on Thursday nights at 8:30 p.m. and two shows nightly on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. For more information you can check out the club’s website.
There are no full time French comedy venues in Montreal.
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