Graham Clark Is Doing Another 24-Hour Comedy Marathon to Mark the Return of Little Mountain Gallery

When beloved indie comedy venue Little Mountain Gallery closed its doors in 2021, it was easy to believe that we’d never laugh again. It was one of the last dedicated comedy spaces in the city, and without it, the community of standups, improvisors and sketch performers who once called it home were set adrift. Sure, comedy has carried on in Vancouver in various make-do spots and questionable venues across the city—the open mic must go on, as they say—but over the past two-plus years, there’s been a hole in our hearts as big as the one that now exists in the empty lot where LMG used to be. (Thanks, developers.)

But like a phoenix from the rubble, Little Mountain Gallery is back in action for good this month.

Sure, it’s in a brand new location (in Gastown at 110 Water Street) and a new-ish name (technically it’s Little Mountain Gallery Comedy now), but the spirit of the original space is intended to live on, with affordable, accessible performance spaces for up-and-coming comedians and old pros alike.

To kick off its second life, LMG is echoing its final show in Mount Pleasant, with another 24-hour stand-up marathon from glutton-for-punishment Graham Clark, starting April 12 at 7 p.m. (and running, if we’ve got our math correct here, until April 13 at 7 p.m.)

The Juno-nominated Vancouver comedian and host of Stop Podcasting Yourself is stepping onto the new LMG stage  to once again perform for a full night and day to raise both funds and awareness for the non-profit venue. A rotating cast of Vancouver’s best comedy writers (including, full disclosure, a handful of Vanmag editors) will be in the wings crafting jokes, prompts and riffs for Clark to pull from.

In advance of the big show, we grilled Clark about his process. It’ll be the third time he’s pulled off such a stunt—and, like an elite athlete, is preparing both physically and mentally.

VM: You’ve done this…3 times before, is that right?

GC: This would be number three. A trilogy to rival Lord of the Rings. I hope it isn’t like The Godfather trilogy.

VM: How do you prepare the body for 24 hours of standing? What’s the secret to stamina?

GC: This time around I’m going to physio (try not to picture it, I look terrible in sweats and/or stretchy pants), I’ve got brand new shoes, and I have lost a little weight…very little.

VM: What’s the moment in these marathons that’s always the hardest?

GC: I think the 5:00 am mark is a bit loopy. It’s before the really keen morning people arrive and the last of the late night absolute bananas shift. It gets weird! Also it shows you how much of the mountain you have left to climb. I’ve never climbed a mountain so I’m not sure if that is an apt description.

VM: How do you keep yourself fuelled during these events?

GC: This year, I’m doing protein bars/bananas/beer/and coffee. Gluten free/nut free snacks are all under consideration.

VM: How do you protect your voice?

GC: Luckily last time I did this a very funny comedian, Alannah Brittany, who is also a speech therapist told me to use honey lozenges instead of regular ones. She told me the regular ones were crap. It very much saved me.

VM: How long do you sleep afterwards?

GC: Not that long. You’re still running on fumes, so I don’t even sleep for hours afterwards. I also wake up kind of normally, until my feet hit the floor and my body is like “what the hell was that all about?” If I make it all the way to the couch, it’s a victory.

VM: What are your fondest memories from doing these in the past? Or some of the most memorable bits?

GC: There were tonnes of jokes about comedian Milton Berle as I was using his joke book to fill in time when I needed to. I never got sick of them. My favourite bit is probably too dirty to print, but let’s just say it was about the two set of footsteps in the sand story.

VM: What does Little Mountain Gallery mean to you?

The world! The scene here has done an amazing job of surviving and thriving and LMG is an open space for people to try different forms of comedy by all different types of comedians. The scene is already strong, and with LMG  as a workout space, it will only become stronger.

Get your tickets to Graham Clark’s 24 Hours of Stand-Up here.