“We are better off than ever”: stand-up is making its mark on the Toulouse scene

Le Boudu Pont, Les Chenapans, L'Alegria, Le Little Big… More and more bars and restaurants are offering stand-up evenings in the Pink City, which is not immune to a national phenomenon. This format of comedy shows, mainly from the United States, is successful throughout France. According to Matthis Bligny, a comedian from Toulouse, “stand-up is a form of popular culture, accessible to all. It allows you to go see a one-hour show, for a reasonable price, often at the hat [participation libre, NDLR].”

The Toulouse stand-up boom really took place in 2020. “After the Covid period, there was a need for fun and laughter”, analyzes Noam Berrebi, founder of “Stand up for you”, a company which organizes dedicated evenings in different places in the Pink City. A way to diversify the activity for bars which are open to the discipline. This is the case of the Little O'Clock, which welcomes once a week, in its cellar, the Superset collective, for a set: six or seven comedians take turns on stage for around ten minutes each.

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Another form of culture

“It brings us a different clientele, people between 30 and 40 years old, who consume more than a younger audience,” explains Laurie Tournie, one of the establishment’s managers. “And this activity requires little investment.” At Flashback Café, opening in September 2023, programming stand-up was “obvious”, says manager Julien Soudet. “We are a cultural place, with concerts, drag queen shows… Our stage also had to receive humor.” Next December, the place will inaugurate a new event, an improvisation show, with the arrival for the occasion of the comedian and actor Gérémy Crédeville.

This growth also allows Toulouse talents to develop further. There are between 20 and 30 trying the discipline in Toulouse. “We are better off than ever,” confirms Romain Simancas. “If we anticipate our performances, by contacting the collectives in advance, we can do several scenes in the same week, in different neighborhoods.” He, who is already well established in the industry, will perform his show on November 16 at the Petite Comédie.

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The hope of a real Toulouse comedy club

Marine Richard, another comedian, often plays the role of mistress of ceremonies during evenings organized by “Stand up for you”. “It’s starting to be really nice for us,” she says. “But with all the new places and meetings that are being created, those that are closing, we have to be solid on our feet to keep up.” For the moment, she cannot make a living from humor, and has kept her job on the side. Just like Matthis Bligny.

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The only downside in Toulouse: the absence of a real comedy club, 100% dedicated to the practice, as we find in Paris, or even Bordeaux, Montpellier, although smaller cities. “We are completely late,” admits Matthis Bligny. “But in this type of establishment, the administrative part is different, it requires logistics with fixed costs, like a classic performance hall,” explains Noam Berrebi. Despite everything, some see great prospects for the future of stand-up in Toulouse. “That would be the icing on the cake,” assures Romain Simancas. “For the place to film us and broadcast the videos on social networks, as a kind of media.”