Witty in the City
By Matthew Grieve
Is the comedy scene thriving or surviving?
On Jan. 28, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club in Ottawa hosted its weekly new talent showcase, giving amateur comedians a chance to test new material in front of a live audience
Ottawa has produced some of the most influential figures in comedy, including Norm
Macdonald, Dan Aykroyd and Tom Green. These comedians helped shape earlier eras
of Canadian comedy and have left their mark on the different comedy clubs still
operating around the city. Does Ottawa’s comedy scene still hold the same reputation it
once had?
Amanda Saxe, an amateur comedian who has been doing stand-up for three months,
performed at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club amateur night. She believes the comedy scene is
strong.
“There are a ton of open mics every single weeknight. We have Yuk Yuk’s, Absolute,
Laugh Lounge and Culture's Comedy Club, four very strong clubs,” said Saxe. “I think
the Ottawa comedy scene is really great […] it’s pretty booming, but it can always be
more.”
In 2024, Mathieu Grondin was appointed as Ottawa’s night mayor. This position aims to
revitalise Ottawa’s nightlife from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. However, comedians at the Yuk Yuk’s
comedy club say the growing popularity of Ottawa’s indie scene has occurred
independently of his work.
Speaking on the Lebanese Weight Watcher podcast, recorded in the green room at Yuk
Yuk’s Comedy Club in Ottawa, one comedian said the expansion of the indie comedy is
the result of the community rather than the night mayor.
“The indie scene is all the local comics themselves working really hard to expand it and
to have a lot of shows and to bring comedy outside the clubs over the last few years,”
he said. “When I started, there weren’t that many indie shows, but now, there’s like too
many, […] I don’t think the night mayor has done anything, he has nothing to do with
this. He’s useless.”
Rabbi Dave Rotenberg was the feature act of the night. He has been in the comedy
community his entire life. He said the local scene has expanded significantly compared
to 27 years ago, when comedians had fewer opportunities to perform.
“There was literally one club in town, and there was one night a week you could get on
as an amateur,” said Rotenberg. “And then over time, Absolute comedy opened, and
they also gave a stage and a room and a platform for comics. Now, so many years
later, there are multiple comedy shows a night, every night of the week.”
While Ottawa’s comedy scene may not seem large, its local scene is ever expanding.
With multiple clubs, frequent shows, and a strong indie community. The comedy scene
is thriving rather than merely surviving.
One battle after another: Independent cinemas standing their ground
With only the Mayfair Theatre and the ByTown cinema left standing in Ottawa’s indie film scene: Are independent cinema surviving or thriving?
Well-established cinema chains, the impact of Covid-19 and the rise of streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime have stacked the odds against independent cinemas. It’s been one battle after another, yet in 2026, they’re still standing.
In Ottawa, Mayfair Theater and ByTowne Cinema are proving that cinema isn’t just about movies, but about community, connection, and supporting local culture. In an era of streaming services, audiences can watch movies at home for free. The questions must be asked: why would an individual pay to see the same movie in a theatre?
It is deeper than the films being displayed themselves: If independent theatres disappear, people will lose more than a movie screen. They’ll lose gathering places and creative hubs that bring the community together. These theatres offer inspiration through old film, independent movies and hosting special events/screenings.
These turn movie nights into a shared experience with others who are just as passionate to be there.
“The communal experience is irreplaceable,” said Andrew Lapointe, the manager at Mayfair Theatre.
The Mayfair Theatre opened in 1932 and has been running ever since. It’s been locally owned and operated since day one. While the theatre has faced financial challenges over the decades, Mayfair has stood its ground for 93 years.
“We offer something more valuable than the chains,” said Lapointe. “If you’re a movie buff, you get bored of the typical Hollywood offerings, it’s good to come here and see different things. It’s Independent movies and classic movies. So there’s something for everybody.”
The local community plays a key role in keeping independent cinema alive. The variety, paired with affordable tickets, has helped the Mayfair build a loyal audience, much like ByTowne Cinema, another independent cinema located in the heart of Rideau Street.
Emilie Dugas, the theatre’s manager, has worked at ByTowne on and off for nearly 20 years. She has seen the cinema go through hard times, especially during Covid-19.
“During the pandemic, it almost closed,” said Dugas, “And the community raised a whole bunch of money to keep it afloat.”
The amount of support from Ottawa’s residents shows how deeply connected the community is with independent cinema. The support is also reciprocated by these independent theatres. Beyond screening films, both cinemas host special events and local showcases, giving emerging artists and filmmakers a voice and opportunities they might not find elsewhere.
“There’s a lot of creative people,” said Dugas. “And with independent cinemas, we can often give people a little leg up, displaying things they wouldn’t get otherwise shown in other places.”