Second City's 103rd Revue Largely Successful, Unexpectedly Touching At Times

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 8, 2014 8:00PM

(L-R) Daniel Strauss, Christine Tawfik, Chelsea Devantez,John Hartman, Paul Jurewicz and Emily Walkerin Second City's 'Panic On Cloud 9,' photo by Todd Rosenberg

Second City's Panic On Cloud 9 opened last Thursday and showcased an unusually solid early iteration of the company's 103rd revue, directed by Ryan Bernier. Opening night is bumpier than usual and certain cast members often overshadow the proceedings, so it's a testament to the writing and performances that Christine Tawfik, John Hartman, Emily Walker, Paul Jurewicz, Daniel Strauss and Chelsea Devantez came across as a fully integrated ensemble and not a showcase for a few grandstanders.

It's often difficult to write about comedy since a recap gives away the punchline and drains most performances of those electric jolts. Structurally this revue is strong with the Second City's structural DNA, blackouts help bolster punchlines, music numbers are deftly deployed and minimal sets are expertly brought to life through the cast's formidable comedic acting talents. The opening scene of a diverse group of passengers making there way across the country on a Greyhound bus serves as a harbinger of what to expect as stereotypes are exploited and subverted in an attempt to excise laughter from the audience while still trying to make sharp observational points.

Another sketch regarding a mismatched pair of airline passengers allowed Tawfik and Jurewicz the opportunity to dance around some cultural minefields while still keeping the focus fully on the humor of the situation, even if the roots of that humor are sprouting from awkward soil. Later on Devantez and Hartman skewered the norms of popular superheroes in a sketch that provides laughs even as it takes an unexpected turn. And a scene between Hartman as a deaf student tweaking and torturing Strauss provided a nakedly emotional moment amongst a largely tormenting back and forth that brought an honest tear in the viewer's eye.

The first act contained the tautest collection of skits and the second act seemed to meander a bit near the end, leading us to wonder if some of that material may still get workshopped or cut in favor of stronger pieces throughout. But even the weaker portions landed in a largely satisfying manner. This makes Panic On Cloud 9 unusually strong this early in it run and leads us to believe it will get even better as it strengthens its stride throughout the run.

Panic On Cloud 9 runs at Second City, 1616 N Wells St, Tuesdays - Thursdays at 8 p.m., Fridays - Saturdays at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., and Sundays at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $23.