What is it - A professional comedy club is a great place to go for a fun night out with friends or perhaps an evening with your college age children. When it comes to comedy, the king of the hill is The Second City. The Second City’s founders began performing in the early 1960s and developed a unique form of comedy reviews involving both scripted and improvised sketches by club performers. Over the years, the enterprise established permanent theaters at its original home in Chicago, in Hollywood, and at a downtown Toronto site which opened in 1973. The company also produced several television shows for viewing in Canada and the United States, and sponsored touring companies.

The popularity of Second City’s format became apparent in the 1970s with the success of Saturday Night Live and similar shows. They became must watch TV in coastal cities and in the heartland of the U. S. and Canada. Since then dozens of comedians and actors who had their start as members of Second City comedy casts have gone on to become famous as comedians, movie and television stars or leaders in the entertainment business. All three venues now present comedy revues by an ensemble cast daily, support a touring company and welcome back their alumni for various special events from time to time. During a visit to Toronto, a friend and I were able to take in a Saturday night show featuring a talented and diverse cast of six “main stage” performers. Their sketches and commentary included satirizing recent events, social trends, and their friends’ habits, while making fun of some well-known personalities.

There are three observations one could make about the revue we saw in Toronto. First, the sets on the stage are basic. Nothing is overproduced like some modern shows can be. This helps the audience to focus in on the words and expressions of the comedians and the various characters they are portraying. Second, although the content of the sketches was politically correct in some respects and devilishly incorrect in others, there was little ideology or preaching by the performers. Third, I was surprised at the extent to which the physical characteristics and movements of the comedians contributed to their performances. One sketch involved two very tall comics acting like wind puppets who become involved in some very questionable behavior.

Taken as a whole, the Toronto Second City revue will provide you with some excellent laughs, a comfortable venue, and some decent light food for an enjoyable evening. In view of the growing prestige of the Toronto International Film Festival and the increasing number of television shows and movies produced in Canada, we should expect a steady stream of entertainers and comedians originating from the Great North in coming years.

Interesting facts - The Second City is not just a performance venue. Since the 1980s, the Toronto and Chicago locations have run Second City Training Centers which provide workshops and instruction to thousands of students of all ages. They have programs for people seeking to take a few classes or more extended courses in subjects such as stage performance, improvisation, comedy writing, and even filmmaking. Budding performers seeking to try out their material will certainly benefit from the experience of taking a class there.

Location - The Toronto theater and box office are located on 51 Mercer Street which is a side street a few blocks north of the Rogers Centre just off Blue Jays Way, so it is within walking distance of many downtown hotels.  

When to Go - This indoor venue is open year-round. Performances generally take place at 8:00 p.m. each day from Sunday to Thursday with two shows usually scheduled on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. 

Cost - Ticket prices depend on whether you are seeking front row seats or general admission. They range from about $25 to $65 depending on theater location and the day of the show.