At the beginning of the year, female humor is available on Quebec’s stages. While Mariana Mazza, Lise Dion, Christine Morency, Cathy Gauthier, Mélanie Ghanimé and other Virginie Fortin continue to criss-cross the provinces with their shows, Maude Landry and Eve Côté are preparing to unveil their first respective solo works. involution and Eve page.
A simple glance at the programming of the gaming halls reveals one thing that is as obvious as it is pleasing: Comedians are more present on our stages than ever. At the same time, the days when comedy evenings were systematically dominated by men and the entire industry was an (almost) hermetic boys’ club are over.
Apparently Maude Landry and Eve Côté noticed. Some will even say that they themselves have been great players in this important and, let’s be honest, necessary change.
“It hasn’t been long since we’ve seen so many women on tour or at comedy nights. It was about time that changed. And I hope it continues because there are so many brilliant and hilarious comedians out there,” says Maude Landry.
The situation is similar with Eve Côté. She says it’s a “privilege” to be part of this new generation of women making a name for themselves in the industry.
“I’ve seen several shows by these women. And I can truly say that each of us has our unique offer. We are all different, we all have our own way of looking at life. I think it’s great ! It doesn’t take anything away from the boys; They have a lot of shows out there and they are quality shows. But finally! – it’s not just three women touring Quebec with their show anymore,” she says.
culture change
This “finally!” must have been launched – or sighed, depending on the case – by Eve Côté and her colleagues on various occasions over the past few years. Because the comedian notices that an important “household” has been taken care of for a long time.
Its starting point? The #metoo movement, which has caused some heads to roll. And those denunciations opened the door to an oh-so-important discussion, both in the public square and behind the scenes in the humor industry.
Since being named Revelation of the Year at the Les Olivier Gala in 2018, Maude Landry has apparently experienced a clear “culture shift.”
Photo archive, Agency QMI
“It was really touching,” says Maude Landry.
“We had to have this conversation between us. And many people realized that there were things to be clarified and others to understand about respect, agreement and shared values. It’s happened to me in the past that I felt like a piece of meat in a dressing room before going on stage. And that’s what affects our performance. We don’t tolerate that anymore,” she continues.
“Nevertheless, it’s a good environment,” says Eve Côté.
“It’s been dirty in recent years, but we have fun in Tabarouette. And now that our safety is no longer threatened, young shoots, new female talents, are encouraged to hatch. It can only give wind to other incredible new artists and that’s what we want,” she says.
First solo adventure for Eve Côté
Photo courtesy of Eva-Maude TC
From police engineering to math classes, Eve Côté took detours before ending up on the benches of the National School of Humor.
“I think I fled that dream,” the comedian says in an interview with Le Journal.
“I come from a family that didn’t know anyone who had progressed in the artistic field. So in my mind it was a world that I didn’t have access to,” she continues.
But once his calling was found, there was no question of deviating from it. After opening for Lise Dion, Eve Côté formed the duo Les Grandes Crues with Marie-Lyne Joncas. Her Su’l gros vin tour spanned several years, totaling 325 performances.
Now that she’s on her own, will Eve Côté be as raw solo?
“We can take the girl from the Grandes Crues, but we don’t take the Grandes Crues from the girl,” she laughs.
However, there is a downside. Because yes, his first solo show includes his share of very salacious gags. But this kind of humor is not the guiding principle or the main theme of Côté Eve.
The comedian wants to seize the opportunity to show the public who she is without detours…or Chardonnay.
“I want to tell my story, take people to Gaspé and show them where I come from. And it takes a different form than the classic monologue. I have decorations, atmosphere… I can’t wait to see how people will take it,” she says.
- Eve Côté presents the Côté Eve show on January 31st and February 1st at the Olympia in Montreal.
Maude Landry alone on stage: “It’s difficult to be human”
“I’ve always felt like I was different,” says Maude Landry. And she intends to prove it with L’involution, the first tour of her career that will mix absurdist humor, traditional stand-up and singing.
Some will raise eyebrows to discover that L’involution is Maude Landry’s first solo show. After all, the 31-year-old comedian was named Comedian of the Year at the 2018 Les Olivier Gala.
However, the pandemic has delayed this first solo effort.
“I had to take it out first. But in a way, all the better for having had time to refine it. I know he’s better today than before,” she said.
This is highly likely as she admits to drawing on her own fears and insecurities – two things the pandemic has thrown at us on an industrial scale – to weave the web of involution.
“It’s hard to be human! The daily challenges, the simple fact of being alive… I find it so complex. But it’s not difficult, I promise! I talk about it with a lot of distance and absurdity,” she says.
Because obviously, Maude Landry covers all these remarks with her usual frankness and express train to keep spawning in the various paths of her colleagues. These elements, so characteristic of his humor, have been able to resist rather than fade in order to reach a wider audience.
“Comedians, it’s in our nature to need validation. So it’s easy to distort yourself to please a larger number of people. But you have to be authentic. Because at the end of the day, there’s nothing more beautiful than being loved for who you really are,” she concludes.
- Maude Landry presents L’involution Tuesday night at the Gesù in Montreal.