A Little Mountain is moving downtown.
The long time Mount Pleasant Little Mountain Gallery comedy venue is reopening after more than two years at a new, upgraded location at 110 Water St in Gastown.
While the not-for-profit comedy organization opened up for a couple of months in the spring of 2023, that was a test run. Now, with renovations nearly done, permits wrapped up, and everything in place, the proper return of Little Mountain Gallery is set.
"We're opening our doors again in Gastown on April 12," programming manager Niki Mohrdar tells Vancouver Is Awesome. "It's a full circle moment because when we closed our doors in Mount Pleasant we closed them with a 24-hour fundraiser."
And like the last show in the old spot, the first show in the new spot will be an epic 24-hour marathon from local veteran Graham Clark (host of Stop Podcasting Yourself, among other things), who's worked for years alongside the venue.
Clark says Little Mountain Gallery's continued existence is reflective of the local comedy scene.
"Vancouver has a very resilient comedy scene, despite all these venues closing. There are venues that pop up in places you wouldn't expect," he says. "Little Mountain is a symbol of that resilience and I hope it's a positive for the whole scene."
An important place for the weirdos
The return of Little Mountain Gallery to the comedy scene is important, says Mohrdar, especially for people doing things outside of the norm.
"It's space for the weirdos of comedy," she says.
While it's already difficult to find space for mainstream comedy in Vancouver, those working on more creative projects find it even more so. As a sign of that need, Mohrdar notes Little Mountain Gallery is already 60 per cent booked until the end of 2024, and its reopening hasn't been broadly announced.
"We're really happy about it," she says. "I think the city is hungry for it."
There's mutual hunger, she adds.
"We've been a staple in the comedy scene in Vancouver and we're excited to get back to it," Morhdar says.
Clark agrees.
"I think it's a space that gives people who might not otherwise get into comedy a space to try different ideas that you certainly couldn't do at a stand-up club or fit into an improv show."
"It's a space that you can go and experiment and a place you can go see a show you wouldn't see anywhere else."
He notes the "fact it's being resurrected, in Vancouver, is unheard of" as other venues close or struggle.
"I'm excited just to see the space; I'm fortunate to be the first thing held there," he tells V.I.A. "The new venue is a total upgrade."
He notes that while the original was much loved, it had some shortfalls; he's looking forward to the improved sequel.
"There was a room in the back filled with raccoons," he notes, adding that the old space "was one big room separated by a door. It was all held together with tape and rubber bands."
He's looking forward to the new venue for a few reasons, from the heating system to the much more public location to better transit options (the Waterfront Skytrain station is a short walk away).
"I can't believe how good this is turning out," he says. "It's a change of pace; luckily Gastown already has some great comedy shows."
The 24-hour return
The first show t the new space will start on April 12, but it'll wrap up at 7 p.m. on April 13. And while Clark will be the constant on stage, everyone else will be working, or watching, in shifts (including a team of writers helping Clark out).
"The last time we did it was so funny and so wild that I'm glad I get to do it again," he says.
The show evolves over the 24-hours, with different crowds coming at different times. Between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. it gets particularly bizzarre, for example. Or around 6 a.m. folks start showing up with croissants and coffee.
"It's great; it's a lot of fun," he says. "It gets weirder and weirder as time goes on."
The show is a fundraiser as well, with partial proceeds going to the WISH Drop-in Centre Society, which helps with the well-being of women in Vancouver's street-based sex trade. Proceeds will also go towards helping Little Mountain Gallery pay for the renovations.
"Come on by," Clark says. "You're going to see something you haven't seen before."
Tickets for the show are on sale now, early-bird tickets are on sale now for $18; full price will be $23; tickets are for different 1.5 hour shifts, starting at 7 p.m. (followed by 8:30 p.m., 10 p.m. and so on).
A very short history of Little Mountain Gallery
Little Mountain Gallery opened at 195 E 26 Ave. in 2001 as an arts venue; in 2013 local comedian Ryan Beil took it over, adding more comedy and theatre programming.
In 2016, a not-for-profit was launched, focusing on getting community comedy on the stage in front of 60-person audiences.
In 2021 the organization was forced to vacate as developers planned a new development.
"[Executive director] Brent Constantine, he along with [operations executive] Abdul Aziz, have been working to find a new space since it shut down," Mohrdar. "We were lucky enough to come upon 110 Water St in Gastown."
