Tout le monde rit

Sometimes we keep things more intimate at VIAGE, especially when it comes to humour. If you’d like to join our upcoming comedy clubs, a decent command of French will come in handy.

If you love French-language humour with a bite, mark the Saturdays in mid-November in your diary now. On 14 November, Djamil le Shlag brings his solo show Exode(s) to Theatre The Viage. A week later, on 21 November, Donel Jack’sman takes the mic with Arrêtez ça !. Both comedians are touring their latest work to sold-out venues across France.

From head in the clouds...

Djamil le Shlag grew up in Vichy, in the Auvergne. Djamil is his real first name. Shlag is a nickname he picked up as a boy. Back then, in his neighbourhood, it meant someone who always has his head in the clouds and won’t fall into line. The French-Moroccan comedian didn’t let a few rocky early gigs put him off.

His independent streak took him all the way to France Inter, where he won over listeners across France. Radio fans recognise him instantly by his endlessly drawn-out greeting: ‘Hey les gars c’est incroooyaaable’. In 2024, though, he quit the station live on air in solidarity with his colleague Guillaume Meurice. He then returned to Radio Nova with his own comedy programme, Les Grands Remplaçants.

...to a life in motion

In his stage show Exode(s), Djamil explores themes close to his heart: identity, upbringing and what you pass on to those who come after you. He looks back on the path his life has taken and how it brought him to where he is today. From all that wandering he draws one conclusion: movement is life. With his quick wit and infectious energy, he urges you to travel, meet other people and never stand still.

Missed him last year? Now’s your chance, because Djamil will soon perform this show for the very last time.

A familiar face

Taking our stage for the first time is Donel Jack’sman. As a teenager, Donel copied the walk of his idol Denzel Washington and rapped with his childhood friend Lino of Arsenik. In the end, he chose laughter. He won the comedy competition La Route du Rire. Because he didn’t have a driving licence, he gave the top prize, a Polo, straight to his mother. She had raised him and his three siblings on her own in Villiers-le-Bel, just north of Paris.

He soon became a familiar face on television. For three years he had audiences laughing on On n’demande qu’à en rire, and in 2019 he hosted La France a un incroyable talent, ça continue on M6. Still, he insists the screen was not where he started.

Stop it!

On social media, one exclamation became his trademark: ‘ARRÊTEZ ÇA !’. That cry now gives his new show its title. Donel talks about himself, about a world that is changing at breakneck speed, and about human stupidity, which stubbornly stays the same. He takes a hard look at today’s challenges with a free, committed eye and a generous dose of charisma. You’ll spend the whole evening in stitches and head home with plenty to think about.

Laugh, dine, play

Both shows start at 8 pm at Theatre The Viage. Arrive early and enjoy dinner at VIAGE GRILL first. After the last laugh, the casino is waiting to carry on the evening. That turns a night of comedy into a full Brussels night out, from the first glass to the last game. You’ll find tickets and all the practical details in our agenda.

View all articles