Toronto comedian Ava Val brings electric energy and fearless honesty to the stage, turning deeply personal experiences into laughter that bridges vulnerability and joy. Known for her quick wit, physicality, and improvisational flair, Val’s comedy disarms with charm while challenging perceptions with candour. Her acclaimed special, So Brave, captured the raw humour and heartache of early gender transition, while her latest project, Face to Face, offers a confessional glimpse into identity, love, and transformation—recorded just days before her facial feminization surgery.

How would you describe your comedy style?

I often speak vulnerably and candidly about my experience as a trans woman. My special “So Brave” was all about the early stages of coming out of the closet after a lifetime of outwardly being a ‘bro’-ey dude and the discomforts of early transition. While my material is vulnerable and personal, my style is inexhaustibly high energy and physical, plucky, playful, and fun. I also improvise a lot, so outside my personal material, I approach every set with a whimsical curiosity about the crowd and a readiness to react to every bit of stimulus that hits my senses. I’m a distractible, loveable, innocent underdog with an enlightening humanity and an intrepid spirit – like the tarot card “the Fool”, if you’re into that (I’m not, really – just appropriating it shamelessly).

Who are some of your influences?

I’d probably list Suzy Izzard and Dane Cook as my biggest inspirations starting out; to this day, it’s probably easy to see me literally climb, screaming, into the front row offstage and think, “yeah, I see who might’ve influenced this sort of impulsive misbehaviour.”

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Growing up, I adored Mr. Bean and Whose Line is it Anyway, which surely lends itself to my silly, improvisational, but methodical physical style. Then, in my teens, when I really got into stand-up, every Sunday I would load up my iPod and mow the lawn listening to compilations that included Suzy Izzard (formerly Eddie), Brian Regan, Dane Cook, Patton Oswalt, Arj Barker, Dave Chappelle, Mitch Hedberg, Doug Stanhope, Lewis Black, and Paul F. Tompkins. I was insatiable and listened to everything I could get my hands on, but those were my faves.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

I am so deeply impressed by Gianmarco Soresi and Josh Johnson. They are so prolific it’s almost discouraging! Both of them have such strong, sharp voices and are actually speaking truth to power instead of phoning it in, writing 80 versions of the same pronoun joke and then stroking themselves onstage for their “craft”, which seems to be the case for a lot of mainstream male comics right now. I’m not bitter, I swear! I just prefer comics less mean-spirited and more playful, like Jeff Arcuri.

Also, Veronika Slowikowska isn’t a stand-up comic, but she’s a brilliant talent who just landed on SNL and is just so, so fun to watch.

What is your pre-show ritual?

The closest thing I’d have to a ritual is while I’m doing my makeup, I’ll have a glass of wine and either listen to music or to a previous set I’d had to make some adjustments to the set ahead.

I try to take the stage feeling as natural as possible (besides the adrenaline, of course), so my pre-show routine really resembles my baseline state of being, which basically means I stand in the wings offstage, contemplating my self-worth and likeability.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

I *adore* Comedy Bar here in Toronto, in particular the venue on the west side. Though both are fabulous and have always provided a warm, welcoming home for my development. The staff are the sweetest, the audiences that go there are always hip and fun, and the comic-owned community atmosphere feels like it belongs to us, the comics. That’s deeply empowering, comforting, and inspiring.

Besides Comedy Bar, I got to perform for 1500 people at the Theatre Maisonneuve in Montreal at the Jo Koy Gala for the Just For Laughs Festival in 2022. That was a huge thrill and a career highlight (so far!).

What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?

My closing bit from my “So Brave” special is about bike cops, and it’s always been one of my favourite bits to perform. It holds a special place in my heart and is a crown jewel in my set. More lately, I’ve been really enjoying doing this improvised bit in which I “trans” audience members’ names – asking them their name and assigning a new one should they decide to change genders. It’s very fun and silly, and it scratches my itch to always surprise myself among others.

What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?

Even though my biggest following is on TikTok, I’m a huge Instagram girlie. My algorithm knows I love standup and might occasionally show me someone new and interesting that I haven’t seen before!

Tell us a joke about your city.

I’m growing out my facial hair for an upcoming electrolysis appointment this week, but luckily, since the Blue Jays are in the playoffs, I’ve gotten away with calling it my “playoff beard.”

It’s saved me from being the victim of several hate crimes.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

I’ve released my second special exclusively on my Patreon! It’s called “Face to Face,” and it was taped in January, three days before my life-altering, gender-affirming facial feminization surgery. It’s an intimate comedy confessional of all the emotions I was feeling on the precipice of this massive life change, and asks profound questions like “what is the nature of unconditional love”, “how much of one’s identity is tied to their appearance”, and “will my iPhone lock screen still recognize me after this?”

I plan to open up “Face to Face” to the general public either before or after my East Coast tour!

Check here for updates.

Where can we follow you?

You can find exclusive standup and podcast content (and support me in the process!) on my Patreon!

Besides that, I am on all platforms as @avavalcomedy, including Instagram (with bonus exclusive subscription content!), TikTok, and Threads. Also, here’s my FB Fanpage!

I also release episodes of my hilarious and personal solo podcast “PodGis” on my YouTube channel here.

PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?

Toronto is spoiled for talent, which makes doing this very difficult, so I’ll list a bunch of comics who I know have either recently taped or a released a special; that way, readers can have something more virtually tangible to follow up on. I’m not copping out, I swear! It’s too hard to narrow down who I want to shout out!!!!

Chris Locke, Andrew Barr, Renee Groulx, Mickey Dykeman, and Robert Watson.