With its varied range of Comedy Clubs, Montpellier has established itself as a stronghold of French stand-up.
Montpellier, flagship city of French stand-up? Everything seems to believe it so. Tuesday June 25 at 8 p.m., the CGR Montpellier Lattes will host the Comedy Show Soul Central. An evening during which four comedians, propelled by the show Comedy Class hosted by Eric and Ramzy, will perform one after the other. If you want to extend the experience beyond this evening, Montpellier is full of places to laugh out loud. Each with their own particularities.
In practice
Le Redline. 5 rue des Teissiers, Montpellier. Comedy evenings from Wednesday to Sunday.
Broc Café. 2 Bd Henri IV, Montpellier. Every Sunday at 8 p.m.
The independent trade fair. 4 rue Lunaret, Montpellier. Every Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Le Point Comedy. 9 rue Sainte-Ursule, Montpellier. Every last Wednesday of the month.
Le French Kiss. 4 rue Jules-Ferry, Montpellier. Every Thursday.
Mother Goddess. 5 rue Belmont, Montpellier. Every Wednesday.
Fridge Comedy Club. 8 place du Marché-aux-Fleurs, Montpellier. Opening soon.
And also
The reservoir. 55 rue de Montels Saint-Pierre, Montpellier.
Halle tropism. 121 rue Fontcouverte, Montpellier.
Odeon Theater. ZAC Le Fenouillet, Pérols.
La Chapelle Tattoo Shop. 5 rue Anatole-France, Montpellier.
Kawa Theater. 18 rue Fouques, Montpellier.
Le Redline, premier Comedy Club de Montpellier
In 2019, Redline raised its curtain and became one of the first comedy clubs to emerge outside of Paris. Very quickly, the place created by Théo Géraud found its audience. The 70-seat room is packed every night of the week. “It’s so full that the artists have to go through a small trapdoor located under the bar to get on stage!”laughs Hayran, in charge of communications for the place.
Thanks to the quality of its programming, Redline is quickly becoming a reference in French stand-up. “We are known as far away as Paris. We are overwhelmed with requests from comedians wanting to play in our club”, assures Idris, in programming. Big names in humor have performed there, such as Gad Elmaleh and Roman Frayssinet.
Comedy stars aren’t the only ones to hit the stage at Redline. Spectators are also invited to tell their best joke in exchange for a free beer. “It’s called the beer game. We unearthed a lot of talent like that“, jokes Idris. He himself volunteered a few years ago, before developing a taste for the exercise.
The bars also get into humor
Among local merchants, the concept is being emulated. Several bars in the city in turn use the format. This is the case of Broc Café, opposite the Jardin des Plantes. Every Sunday evening, six comedians tell jokes for an hour. “We chose to organize Comedy Club evenings because it fits with the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the bar.“, explains Andréa, owner of the establishment.
As is tradition, entry is free and spectators are invited to slip a contribution into the artists’ hats upon exit. Same philosophy at the Salon des Indépendants, where bursts of laughter mingle with the sounds of clinking mugs every Tuesday from 8 p.m.
Humor can also be used. At Madre Diosa, in the Beaux-Arts district, comedians from the LGBTQIA+ community (for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) deconstruct the codes of humor.
Bars and cafes are not the only ones to offer such evenings. Theaters also occasionally program stand-up shows, like the Théâtre de l’Odéon or the Halles Tropismes in Pérols.
Novelty
By the end of the summer, Kev Adams will have opened his Fridge Comedy Club in Montpellier, in the heart of the city. Before the opening night during which the comedian will be present, the Fridge Comedy Tour will pass through Lattes on July 18, at Pampa Sauvage (2 400 route de Pérols, 34970 Lattes). From 7 p.m., five artists will take turns on stage.
