It’s been nearly two years, but if everything goes according to plan live comedy is set to return to Hecklers in the very near future.
The Canadian comedy institution has remained open through the pandemic but co-owner Aaron McGeough says that they hope to return to full capacity and welcome performers back to the stage on Saturday, September 11.
“It sort of depends on what Bonnie Henry says,” says McGeough. “I think we will still go forward with comedy, but it was planned to start as phase four [of BC’s Restart plan] came in. It’ll depend on what the rules are, but originally we had thought we’d go for full capacity.”
In the past, Hecklers sent headliners to the stage every Friday and Saturday night, but McGeough says that they will have a new format that includes two shows on Saturday nights.
“We’ve had several years to plan this, so it’s all of the best comics,” he says. “September 11 it’s Mike Delamont, [then in future nights] it’s DJ Demers, it’s Sophie Buddle, it’s Phil Hanley. It’s just really incredible acts.”
The early show will follow a traditional MC/middle/headliner formula but McGeough says that he is incredibly excited to be partnering with Comedy Here Often? (part of 604 Records) for the second show, which will bring a new dynamic to the club.
“They’re an excellent brand,” says McGeough. “They really care about putting on good shows and supporting Canadian talent in a way that the other big brands in the country really don’t. We’re really excited to be working with them and we will be sponsoring them on a late show.”
Local comedian Dan Duvall has been a mainstay in Victoria’s pro-am circuit for years and signed on as the Comedy Here Often? Podcast network director last year.
“As everything was shutting down, I saw an opportunity,” says Duvall. “I talked to Jonathan Simkin, who’s the owner at 604 and Comedy Here Often?, about starting a podcast. After a bunch of talks he brought me on to be the podcast network director and we went from five podcasts to 38 podcasts over the course of a year.”
Duvall says that when restrictions started to lift, they started filming shows at the Victoria Event Centre and Canoe Club. Comedy Here Often? attached its name to the online content and it’s blown up.
“We film all of the shows and pay the comics if we use the clips, so they’re making extra money on top of their shows, we get content, and the venues get featured, so all ships rise, and it’s good for Canadian comedy across the board,” says Duvall. “Everyone is winning and nobody is being taken advantage of at Comedy Here Often? It’s an artists-first independent label, like we’ve always been with music.”
Duvall says that come September, they will be paired exclusively with Hecklers for the Comedy Here Often? Presents the Late Show every Saturday night. McGeough says that the Late Show will have a little bit of a looser format.
“There will be more guest spots and people dropping in to do sets, and a few more local comedians, but generally the same headliner and middle that we have for the 7:00 show,” says McGeough.
Duvall says that his show pairs well with Bryan O’Gorman’s show at Hermann’s Jazz Club because it’s also a pro show, which means there will be more comics coming to town.
“It makes Victoria a more viable option for comics to come if they can do a couple of shows and stick around for a bit, which we really didn’t have before,” he says. “Everybody wants to come out here. Come fall, Victoria will have a big-city comedy scene.”
See hecklers.ca for information on all upcoming events at Hecklers.