The Second City e.t.c.’s 46th Revue Great Altercations
If you are looking for great comedy, take a ride to North Avenue and visit one of the oldest improvisational theatrical enterprises in Chicago, The Second City. Depending on the night you go, there are a plethora of shows running simultaneously at The Second City, and we have the pleasure of seeing Great Altercations. Seeking commonality and recreating some of the significant reasons we come apart, Great Altercations brings the audience back together with laughter and improv, leaving you excited to continue the night of joy ignited by GA's ensemble sassy, in-your-face comedy. The core ensemble features, Chicago-based actress and comedian Alex Bellisle, Glen Ellyn native Mark Campbell, Terrence Carey, Laurel Krabacher, Claudia Martinez, and Jordan Savusa. They touch on current events like the rising gas prices, podcasts, parenting, government, and the speedy fluctuation of cryptocurrency changes.
I always enjoy seeing Alex Bellisle and Mark Campbell on stage. Bellisle and Campbell are amazing at sketch comedy and improv, and their facial expressions only will have you in stitches. Campbell's bed bug and Old West(-ern suburbs) performance was one of my favorites, and Bellisle is seamless in improvisation. Newcoming to e.t.c, Claudia Martinez is grateful and excited to make her debut. Martinez's power of stillness in her acting in her scenes with Laurel Krabacher and Jordan Savusa, blended with her facial expressions, is textbook brilliance. The Second City ensemble members are known for interacting with the audience, and on our night, they focused on a lady, I believe her name was Maury, with her family. Choosing selected words provided by her, while sometimes using these keywords throughout their performances, the group's improv was hilarious and had the family laughing throughout the night.
However, when it comes to sketch comedy, I always look at the greats like Carol Burnett and her cast of sketch and improv masters Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, and Vicki Lawrence. It's the pinnacle of where great sketch and improv comedy begins. And even with the house crowd shouting and cheering out loud, which can be somewhat annoying, it would be a stretch to say this was a quintessential night of comedy, as some skits miss the mark. However, the overall entertainment on stage more than makes up for some of the subpar writing.
The food at Second City is a mix of tasty items that are filling and easy on our wallet, provided you don't spend too much on the libations. I must add that the chicken fingers were crispy and delicious. And if you have an improvisational desire to perform, The Second City is one of the world's largest improvisation and sketch comedy schools for adults, teens, and kids.
The Second City remains one of Chicago's hot spots for comedy, and Great Altercations is a fantastic place to visit if you want a wonderful fun-filled evening in Chicago.
Let's Play Theatrical Review Recommends Great Altercations at The Second City.
The Second City
Great Altercations
Written by the 'Great Altercations' ensemble cast
Directed by Jerry Minor
Now until December 31, 2022
