The Second City Totally Likes You

05 Feb 2020 .  - Photo of Jillian Welsh, Nicole Passmore, Christian Smith by Paul Aihoshi.

Second City Toronto has been putting on consistently great shows in Toronto for 47 years, and it has now 60 years since a motley crew of comedians started the franchise in Chicago, the name mocking the ‘second city’ status of Chicago to New York.

Their current show, The Second City Totally Likes You is directed by Kirsten Rasmussen who also directed the gay spectacular Extravagana Eleganza in this welcome trend of fast-paced, solid, funny sketch comedy. The specialty cocktails (Boy Problems, Call Me Maybe, and Emotions) foreshadow the theme. Suddenly Carly Rae Jepson blasts through the speakers as various poses are assumed under bright lights, and we’re off.
The show’s theme, obviously, is dating in today’s modern world. In true Second City tradition, you think you recognize many of the setups but they are turned on their head by the twists and turns of this very talented touring company. The sketches Uber their way through topics as varied as Alexa, Netflix, book clubs, auto-tune, conversion therapy, boyfriend meets parents, among many others.

There’s not a weak link in the troupe, with the additional prize for physical comedy going to Hanna Spear for a variety of contortions throughout. 

Second City sketches are largely sourced and refined from the late-night improv sets they perform after their main shows. Clearly all the players in this show are talented improvisers. Amidst the entire evening's hilarity, many of the crowd favourites were the improvised sketches including an improved song about an audience member, and two actors playing the same character. Sourcing vignettes from an onstage couple, they had everyone rolling in the aisles.

[Warning: in-jokes to follow] So don’t wait to have a baby, grab ya’lady, order a side-salad and come see the show. You’ll really really really really like it!