On a recent episode of the improv podcast Spontaneanation with Paul F. Tompkins, comedian Tawny Newsome aired some grievances about her time at Second City in Chicago. She said that up until at least 2012, the final year she was a part of the ensemble, female performers were required to wear dresses. That was difficult because improv is all about moving around, losing yourself in a scene, not worrying if a skirt will fly up, showing off bits you might not want to show off. It’s something that the men on stage didn’t have to worry about. And it’s a subtle reminder that even if some of the most progressive, boundary-pushing performers are cast in a show, Second City is still drawing the boundaries.
The biggest laughs of the night came from evergreen sketches: a bride left at the altar, played by Kimberly Michelle Vaughn, cries her way through the Cha-Cha Slide; a girl group comprised of Asher, Pope, and Vaughn sings about astrology and goes into the crowd to ask audience members, “What’s your sign?”; a son and stepdad, played by Asher and Murdoch, try to find common ground; and the entire ensemble, in a wordless sketch, endures a middle-school dance. But as talented as the cast is and as entertaining as some moments were, nothing felt unexpected. Even in the show’s final moments, when things really go off the rails (I don’t want to spoil the surprise), it’s still very clear how everything falls into the Second City algorithm, a concept that the title suggests this show is trying to upend.
Through 5/25/19: Wed-Thu 8 PM, Fri-Sat 8 and 11 PM, Sun 7 PM, and Tue 8 PM; also 11 PM Tue 12/18-Thu 12/20 and 10 PM Sun 12/23; no performances Tue 12/25 and 1/1, Second City Chicago Mainstage, 1616 N. Wells, 312-337-3992, secondcity.com, $31-$58.
