By Kelsey Klassen, Westender. Image: Comedy legend Wanda Sykes is one of the headliners at this month's JFL NorthWest Comedy Festival. Credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Like Netflix come to life, some of the biggest names in comedy will be all in one place this month, and that place is here.
The JFL NorthWest Comedy Festival – a partnership between Vancouver’s NorthWest Comedy Fest (which presented the likes of Craig Ferguson, Hannibal Buress and Patton Oswalt over the last two years) and Montreal comedy institution Just For Laughs – officially gets underway February 18-27 with a side-splitting mix of stand-up, sketch comedy and improv, at venues across Vancouver.
Headliners include Daily Show host and South African superstar Trevor Noah, standup legend Wanda Sykes, actor and author Lewis Black, “YouTube sensation” Miranda Sings, Canadian funnyman Jeremy Hotz, New York-based sarcasmo Todd Barry, Indian film star Vir Das and more.
In addition, the festival will highlight up-and-coming local talent with the Best of the West series, featuring Instagraham, Hip.Bang!, 10 Speed, The Hero Show, Sidekicks, Phantom Signal, Alicia Tobin’s Come Draw With Me, Kings Head Comedy, The Ryan and Amy Show, Kyle Bottom’s Comedy Bucket, Jokes Please! and Teenage Dirtbag.
The festival has also partnered with the Vancouver International Film Festival to present The Comedy Film Series at this inaugural throwdown.
The series will take place at Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour) and feature the never-before-seen footage of Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of The National Lampoon, a curated hodgepodge of Comedy Short Shorts, Turkish Star Wars (aka “the most insane remake of all time”), and more.
• Tickets and full schedule at JFLNorthWest.com
