** This is a difficult review for me to write. I love Second City and the brilliant work that I have watched there over the years ( or perhaps I should say eons). The latest show on the mainstage was so well done that I may have expected more than I saw tonight, but I will say that there were some bright spots in the new ( and 49th) production entitled “Chaos Theory of Everything”. As always, the shows are written by the performers and worked on during the rehearsal period to tighten spots. This show directed by Anthony LeBlanc uses the stage well and does a bit more of “into the audience area” than most.
We have seen some of these performers before. Javid Iqbal is a powerhouse, Jenelle Cheyen is a great comic, Spencer Hodges, Meghan Babbe, Tim Metzler ( his Lorax is unique and his detective sequence a stitch), and Max Thomas. Each of these talented comics has at least one shining moment and there are several very funny moments. This is a two act, roughly two hour show that has “chaos” as its general theme. They do manage to get the audience involved and therein lies the ups and downs of a show that relies on suggestions or audience participation.
For example: tonight they stopped audience member Ellen ( Ellen is the co-host of the Out Chicago program heard every Sunday prior to Around The Town going on air on WCPT820) , who is a realtor and plays harmonica in jazz clubs, meaning she has three potential jobs. This cast had to take these three positions and make some type of jokes relative to same. It didn’t work for me, and I am not so sure it worked for Ellen.
In the second act they did a spoof of Soap Operas using a lady from the audience who went along with all of the narratives and she added a great deal to the sketch. There were a few other moments with audience members that seemed to work. I guess the jokes were not as topical as we are used to seeing at the Second City shows ( all of the stages) and perhaps they needed a little more time to develop some of the skits. I can tell you that the younger crowd seemed to laugh a lot more than my peer group, and those that know me, know that my laughter is non-stop when the show is truly hysterical. This one does have its moments and knowing that these are Second City trained performers, I am sure as they continue doing the show and working each segment, they will clean them, alter them and in some cases rewrite them.
Second City shows are what is called “open” runs, meaning as long as tickets are selling and audiences are responding, the show stays on the stage.
The Second City’s 49th e.t.c. revue “Chaos Theory of Everything” has performances as follows:
Thursdays 8 p.m.
Fridays 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Saturdays 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Sundays 7 p.m.
Tickets range from $39 and are available at The Second City box office located at 230 West North Avenue , 1st floor
the theater is located on the second floor
to order by phone , call 312-337-3992 or visit www.secondcity.com
To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Chaos Theory of Everything”.
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