Juste pour rire: From Nostalgia and New Faces to Le meilleur des décennies

This year, the Juste pour rire Festival is presenting the best of the decades in Théâtre Jean-Duceppe at Place des Arts. From July 16 to 20, various comedians will take audiences on a nostalgic journey to the past, revisiting the 1990s to the present day. We spoke to comedian and screenwriter Suzie Bouchard, who will host Le meilleur des décennies and a show dedicated to the 2020s.

What are these shows going to be like?

It’s a unique concept that Juste pour rire is hoping to continue. We’re presenting it this year as the beginning of a new tradition. The idea is to celebrate each decade. For example, the 1990s evening will be a nostalgic trip back in time, featuring artists who distinguished themselves during that decade.

How does humour vary from one era to another?

We’ll get to see how much it has evolved, but the 1990s comedians aren’t simply going to completely redo their original routines. Instead, they’ll present a fresh take on their material, which has certainly changed since then. That’s the goal of this exercise.

How will the comedy from these various eras be adapted to the current climate?

By being recontextualized. Humour doesn’t always age well. But the aim is to rediscover its timeless aspects.

In your opinion, who are some the key figures of the last few decades?

From the 1990s, Patrick Huard and Martin Matte certainly come to mind. Louis-José Houde and Patrick Groulx were big names during the 2000s. And the further we move ahead in time, the harder it becomes to pinpoint one or two comedians, because there are so many more.

What can the audience expect on the evening you will be hosting—shining a spotlight on the 2020s?

It’s going to be quite festive! I like to say that I’m the host for the decade that isn’t over yet. We may be more centred on predictions than on nostalgia. What I like about this particular evening is that there will be a good mix of more established artists from recent years and others for the audience to discover.

What does the future of Quebec humour look like?

It’s hard to predict. We will continue to move towards a diversification of tones. People are sharpening their comedic reflexes, and that’s opening the way for types of comedy that were previously more niche to become less so, and for audiences to become more aware of these genres.

I think this trend will continue and we’ll have more varied voices. We still don’t have gender parity, but we’ve taken some giant steps over the past decade. I hope that this progress will continue over the next 10 years, regarding all forms of diversity.

What does diversity bring to comedy?

I truly believe in humour as a vehicle for social change. It gives power back to the people holding the microphone. These are people who may have been mocked in the past but who are now using that as self-deprecation, telling the jokes themselves instead of leaving it to those people who shouldn’t have made them in the first place. It’s a way to break down prejudices and create a more inclusive society, to all laugh together about the same thing.