Women-Led Smash Comedy Fest to Spotlight City’s Best WTF Comics

Taking place from January 24 to 26, the inaugural event will see Vancouver’s finest women, trans, femme and non-binary comedians take to the stage.

Comedy can, admittedly, be a bit of a boys’ club. So when a bunch of badass women comics decide to band together to launch their own women-championing comedy event—one titled Smash Comedy Fest, no less, because they’re (wait for it) smashing the patriarchy with every basic (probably cis white) male not taking up space on-stage—you indubitably throw your coins at them like, Yes. I see you killin’ it and collecting laughs in an industry that has a problematic history of favouring, rewarding and forgiving men for their mediocrity and fuckups, girl. And I appreciate you and I am here to support your riotous intersectionality-minded efforts.At least, that’s what we’ll be doing from January 24 to 26, when the inaugural Smash comes to town for a weekend of women-led sketch, improv and stand-up shows, as well as writing and improv workshops facilitated by Vancouver’s funniest WTF (that’s women, trans and femme) comedians. Nasty Women Comedy. (Photo: Nolan Sage)Organized by local all-women improv-and-sketch troupe Nasty Women Comedy (which, full disclosure, Vanmag executive editor Stacey McLachlan is one-tenth of), the three-day affair features women, trans, femme and non-binary–identifying comics performing everything from Powerpoint- and truth-or-dare–inspired improv to classic stand-up and karaoke-style parody sessions.Workshops, meanwhile, will tackle topics such as “how to create confident characters” in improv and the very-handy-for-cis-men “how to write for women” in sketch comedy. Beer, snacks, late-night dance parties and Carly Rae Jepsen–heavy playlists are to be expected throughout.A portion of proceeds from ticket sales will go toward sending underrepresented kids to Improv Camp in B.C., where, ideally, the next generation of kickass feminist-leaning WTF comics can flourish and, eventually, help continue this smashing addition to Vancouver’s comedy calendar.When: Thursday, January 24—Saturday, January 26, 2019Where: The Biltmore Cabaret, 2755 Prince Edward St. and Little Mountain Gallery, 195 E 26th Ave.Cost: Tickets start at $15 for individual shows and at $25 for passes online; workshops start at $30 onlineMore info: facebook.com/smashcomedyfest