After checking in to my new Hostel for part two of my Montreal Fringe Festival adventure, I snuck a bite to eat and wended my way down to a new venue for me, Theatre Ste.Catherine…which, happily, was pretty much just down the road from where I now temporarily lived. And the venue is licensed! Every show there should pretty much have that text as their promo poster, and they’d do all right. But that may be the alcoholism talking.

But I digress! And heck, I didn’t even HAVE a drink for the show, which was the very damn funny IMO (IN MY OPINION) from Jess Salomon. A stand-up comedy show, which is something I don’t usually get around to seeing so this was a pleasant change, the show got underway with a brief opening set from local heroine Deanna Smith (who even has a poster up in the bar of my hostel, so she’s TOTES FAMOUS, you guys!!) . Bespectacled and bowtied, she riffed hilariously for a few minutes on the attempted theft of her bike about half an hour earlier, and generally got the room ready for laughing.

Deanne then made way for the lady miss Jess Salomon herself, who launched into her set with a smile, and a wink in her eye (okay, maybe that was just the show poster, but there you go). Jess is a solid jokester and won the room over quick with an array of material about her background, her Mother, sexuality, Canadian porn, and what to do (or maybe not) on an Ecuadorian beach, amongst other strong and funny opinions. And as I’m writing this, I’m realizing that it’s really kinda hard to write a review of a comedy show without giving away the jokes, so how about I just fire up the caps lock and say IT’S REALLY FUNNY. GO SEE IT. Will that do? Grab a beer, settle in, and don’t be afraid of the front row. Jess will take good care of you (even giving you some opinions of your own to take away with you), and you’ll leave with a smile on your face. So there. Peace, love and soul,

Kevin Reid