For laughs Pierre-Yves Roy-Desmarais and his “friends”

Sylvia Kalibo
Pres

And for good reason: at 6 p.m., for the first time in two years, Just for Laughs is entitled to a “regular” exhibition called “decoration” here. All dressed up, to the maximum of its potential, you must understand it. The audience at the Maisonneuve Theater on the Place des Arts was visibly delighted to finally be large enough to applaud loudly, with each comedian getting a round of applause.

The big kick-off, with this opening number featuring the darling host, is the crowned discovery of the year at Gala Les Oliviers – among other things, he doesn’t hesitate to remind us. Dressed in a red tuxedo, Pierre-Yves Roy-Desmarais (PY to his friends) danced one day on the field, singing enthusiastically to the sounds of hip-hop beats by the brothers from the Ouellette family. They are ridiculous which made the audience of all ages laugh.

A special mention to its surprise guests Elise Marquis and Jay Du Temple, not forgetting Matthew Pepper (recorded at the beginning of the show and later at the end of the show, in a surreal video), the shy whipping boy of the evening.

Pierre-Yves Roy-Desmarais has saved energy, we know it. It moves air, and this number doesn’t belie its reputation.

That is, all the rest of this first gala (two series, one at 6 p.m., attendees Presand another at 9 p.m.), the comedian was more discreet, content (with admitted energy) to present his guests (sorry, his “friends”) to the right side of the room.

Maybe he’s saving energy for a second show? Shame, we would have taken more.

The numbers that followed did not disappoint. On the contrary, many beautiful discoveries are worth noting. Pierre-Yves Roy-Desmarais first left the microphone to Charles Pellerin, his most touching self-deprecating number about his disease, alopecia (loss of hair and body hair). Surprising choice to start the evening, but why not. “Everyone thinks I have cancer, but no, I see. »

A change of register, Dictogues Megan Brouillard (and surprise guest: Chantal Machabi!), who surfs hockey, more precisely women’s hockey. Let’s just say the game may have found its best spokesperson. Crude and lazy, feminist, a little, a lot, then no, the young comedian has a lot to say on the subject.

We fell in love with David Beaucage, who succeeded in making Greta rhyme with Karla Homolka, without attachments, without head or tail. It should be done.

“They’re good, friends, aren’t they?” the host slipped in here. firm.

However, Alexandre Forest has mixed feelings about the number, a self-proclaimed “loner” of “Mononcles,” who at least has the ability to deflect “Mononcles'” jokes. Marilyn Gendron first introduced a few typical butt jokes, before going into a more promising vein, aside from her love-hate relationship with food. His drive-thru “play” from McDowell will keep us laughing for a long time.

Pierre-Yves Roy-Desmarais’s French guest, Yacine Belhousse, then only manages a few smiles here and there, and we understand why: his encore of his favorite millionaires (Batman, really?) is stretched too long and apparently out of rhythm.

Fortunately, the highlight of the evening came Adip Alkalide, undoubtedly the strongest (and craziest) number of this first gala.

Within minutes, the bushy-bearded comedian took us to his adopted countryside and the village of “mentors” he had moved to. And how is he? He’s addicted to cookies and doesn’t report anything except talking to trees. You should hear him imitating foxes. They sound like “homeless people being murdered.” Let’s just say we guess nature didn’t calm him down too much. That’s good too. Also, note for the curious: the comedian will be at all the galas.

Note that the series of galas (with two different galas per evening) continues this Thursday evening (21st with Phil Roy and Roxanne Bruno), Friday (22nd with Richardson Zephyr and Eddie King) and Saturday (23rd, with Rosalie Vaillancourt). .