***** It is difficult to believe, but, Second City is celebrating 65 years on Wells Street and the Mainstage is currently running its 112th Revue! Wow! A lot of talented comics have graced this stage ( as well as the others they have in the complex at North Avenue and Wells , AKA Pipers Alley, and I have to say the six performers who wrote and star in this production called “The Devil Is In The Detours” are amazing and highly energetic. I will say that this particular show is NOT for children as there is a lot of use of the F Word as well as many others.
The show is a powerful two hours of laughter with these six doing as many wig changes as I have ever seen in a Second City production. Directed by Rob Wilson with music by Ryan Miera and choreographed by Breon Arzell, the show is one that is highly polished and rehearsed, but one can see some ad-libs throughout the performance and on a few occasions, one or two actors broke up ( audiences love these moments). They handled themselves with style and grace under these circumstances and the audience laughed right along with them.
As they do in most of the shows, they do get the audience involved in the show. In this one less than most, but they did have a great audience member to do a modeling audition. Dave was a stitch and played along well with the group. Immersive theater can be a riot if the audience members truly let themselves go, and Dave did just that!
They also did a wonderful “Sesame Street” like sketch called Finance Boulevard and each of the actors had a puppet except the narrator Adisa “Di” Williams. One of the funniest men I have seen in a long time on their stage is Andy Bolduc. I think we have seen him before. He has an extraordinary face for theater and comedy. He seems to be able to mold it into unusual shapes and when he does, his comic power becomes even stronger. His cowboy routine along with the charming and very funny Laurel Krabacher is amazing, and Krabacher’s old man in the library and other scenes is hysterical.
The scene between Jordan Stafford and Adonis Holmes early in the show is another one that truly sets the tone for the evening ,and Hannah Ingle, rounding out the powerful cast ,is a stitch in her house showing skit in the second act. As their shows are , this one is fast paced and fun-filled. The stage looks close to the way it all started over 60 years ago. The two doors are used in many ways and the props are primarily items that one would find in almost any theater or nightclub. The number of wigs used in this performance might be the largest ever.
The shows at Second City are designed and written by the performers. Then after working audiences over a few weeks, and seeing their responses, find ways of changing specifics and inserting new words, where others failed. If it works, it stays! If not, well, there is always the next performance!
By the way, the performances are as follows:
Tuesdays 8 p.m.
Wednesdays 8 p.m.
Thursday 8 p.m.
Friday 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Saturday 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Sunday 7 p.m.
Second City Mainstage is located at 1616 N. Wells Street
Tickets start at $39 and are available by calling 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com. You can also visit the box office if you are in the area.
They do have a decent menu so you can enjoy dinner or a snack with your favorite beverage. We loved the Smash Burger.
To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “The Devil Is In The Detours”.
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