Second City Toronto has done it again and put together an amazing show! Their current holiday show, It’s a Wild, Rowdy, Wonderful Life, is on until January 1, 2019, and is another must-see. Torontonicity was invited to experience the laughter, and enjoyed every single minute of it.
If you haven’t been to Second City Toronto in quite some time and are feeling the pressure of the holiday season at work, home, with friends, or family, than you have to see this improv team do their thing. They’ve isolated the most annoying parts of the holidays, and created hilarious skits, allowing the crowd to laugh at shared experiences. Feeling the strain from having to attend so many festival gatherings? Well, there’s a hilarious skit for that.
The entire Second City Toronto cast right now has such amazing chemistry that every single revue is on point. Haven’t read my review of The Best Is Yet to Come Undone? Read here, for another great reason to plan an evening out with your friends. If you need even more laughs in your life, check out their all female show She The People. Seriously, you can’t go wrong with any of their shows this time of year.
It’s a Wild, Rowdy, Wonderful Life is ideal for anyone who enjoys improv comedy. This cast doesn’t just have one or two improv skits, but a handful of moments peppered throughout the evening. At one point, they request TV station recommendations to re-interpret The Nativity Story movie, and it’s sheer hilarity that ensues as the crowd throws out suggestions like HBO and BET. Absolutely fantastic!
Just a warning, there is some stronger language in this show. If you’re easily taken out of a moment due to cursing, than you may want to consider their family-friendly and all-ages appropriate holiday performance: The Naughty Listers. But seriously, if you’re into watching comedians really get into a performance and leave everything on stage, then you should add It’s a Wild, Rowdy, Wonderful Life to your calendar of holiday coping events.
Actor Clare McConnell won the audience over within the first few minutes of the show. She has fearless physicality and throws her entire being behind each and every character, and this sometimes leaves the other cast members clearly holding back their own laughter. During one improv skit, she partners up with Matt Folliott, pretending to be two elderly Palmerston Street neighbours, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. Both Folliott and McConnell have the audience cheering throughout the performance.
The level of comedy coming out of the Second City Toronto current cast is amazing. The strength in their timing and chemistry seems so natural, but makes perfect sense when you consider that each revue show has an eight-to-ten week rehearsal period. Keep that in mind when you see the show, because every gesture, wording and tonal choice has been meticulously selected to have the most impact on the audience.
Make sure to check out their food and drink menu when you’re there too! I grabbed their Gretzky’s Famous Guacamole with all the extras on the side, and found that their servings of toppings were very generous. When was the last time you didn’t have enough chips for your chips and guac? Definitely a recommended menu item.
Maybe you have a really difficult person on your shopping list for the holidays, like that one friend who seems to have everything. Consider getting them a pair of tickets to Second City Toronto so they can have an evening of laughter with a loved one! Or, if you’re like me and already feeling like the office Scrooge, definitely early gift yourself a night at Second City Toronto to see It’s a Wild, Rowdy, Wonderful Life. Don’t forget that they have free improv every Saturday night at 11 p.m. too, and it’s completely free, which is always nice. Enjoy!
