Laughter Explodes at Second City
Hilarious sketches explode one after the other as the cast of the revue Walking on Bombshells takes the audience through a hilarious mine field at The Second City. Three guys and three gals in different roles have us laughing, whether it’s just plain silly or it’s something we recognize.
Known for their clever sketch comedy and improv, Second City cast members write a script, then refine it or add improv with each performance, until they maximize the audience’s reaction, building on what gets the most laughs.
All six members of the troupe have their turn at lead roles and supporting roles in the sketches. Sharjil Rasool decides to buy a condo he can’t afford, and his delight is hilariously squelched by co-workers. Rasool and Nadine Djoury portray a Muslim father and a Jewish father alarmed by their kids’ dating, saying that the two cultures are just too different. Yet both fathers have exactly the same concerns.
Allana Roesch and Chris Wilson have a hilarious scene where Roesch plays a shy and tongue-tied little son to Wilson, who is determined to get the kid to order his own lemon chicken at the restaurant. In another hilarious scene, Wilson and Stacey McGunnigle are biking in Toronto traffic at the end of a date. The pair mime biking perfectly and when they try to conclude the date with a kiss, their helmets smack.
McGunnigle is also very funny in a drunken scene. I usually cringe at comedy that mocks drunkenness – but this is her birthday, and she’s uproarious as someone who has partied too much, and knows it.
Wilson entertains us in a couple of short scenes – one as a singer achieving a high note, and another as a visitor to an art gallery.
After the main show, the cast comes back on stage with visiting performers to do a few improv sketches – all hilarious. The night we were there, Phatt Al stole the sketch, sweeping the stage while making witty comments.
The six cast members have impeccable comedic timing and play off each other for maximum laughter. The chemistry between them is evident, especially in the improv selections – they seem to know exactly what each other is thinking.
It’s hard to do justice to the comedy packed into this show with a few brief descriptions. In fact, words can’t do justice; it must be seen. Head on over to Second City before the final explosion of their bombshells.
Walking on Bombshells continues until September 11 at The Second City, Toronto. Tickets are available at https://www.secondcity.com
Photo: Cast of Walking on Bombshells. Back: Sharjil Rasool, PHATT al, Stacey McGunnigle, Chris Wilson. Front: Allana Reoch, Nadine Djoury. Photo by Paul Aihoshi.
Walking on Bombshells
Written and Performed by PHATT al, Nadine Djoury, Stacey McGunnigle, Sharjil Rasool, Allana Reoch, Chris Wilson
Directed by Chris Earle
Musical Director Jordan Armstrong
The Second City, Toronto
Tickets available to September 11, 2019
Reviewed by Mary Alderson