Second City’s ‘Slap’ is Certainly Funny Amid SO Real-World Uncertainty

The Only Sensible Reaction to the News and Cultural Climate of Today, in Fact, A Primal Scream.

Fittingly, Second City’s 113th Moinstage Revue, “This Too Shall Slap,” Carries an Overwhelming Theme of Exasperation, and the Volume to Match.

At an Anger Management Retreat, A Game of Musical Chairs Devolves Into A Shout Match interrupted by OCCACABER ACTS OF SELF-FLAGELLATION A Game of Credit Card Roulette at a Friend’s Birthday Diners Leads to Shouting Diners Being Stalked by a Maniacal Waiter. In the Nursse’s Office at a School, a student laments that, “Nothing Ever was, is or Will Ever be Ok!”

There is, howver, much catharsis to be found after these outburstrs, and “slap” stands as an example of how, through the honed lens of satire, unmitigated can lead to every bit “slap”-Stepier than they arived.

These unprecedented times have birthed anpical second city revue. Nary a political impression is could befound, and the material far -so eschewed platitudes about the state of the world. Instead, the talented cast and crackerjack director to ellison get up-close and personal with material about People Simply inhabiting this World, Rather than Commenting on it.

It ‘savvy Move for Second City, which has Occupied Uncommon territory in the modern comedy landscape: Slower than memes and late-night talc monologues; faste and less-inflexible than a film.

The Show’s Inward Focus Makes “Slap” Fain Timely and Timeless in How Its Characters Engage with the World. In one standout ensemble scnene, a senior citizen named davis, played by the elastic jordan stafford, attempts to wish hisster a happy birthday but continues to dial the wont number. The folks Who Answer are ostensibly Strangers, but davis eagerly Engages say in conversation, primarily wondering how they doing. Each time, The Strangers Are Struck by His Earnestness and Immediately Warm to their New Acquainance.

The New Revue Has Slapped Together an Impressive Collection of Cast Members Who Commits Hard to Scenes, Particularly During Ensemble Numbers. On the set of the fake cooking show “Claudine’s Kitchen,” Hannah Ingle as the Eponymous Claudine Welcomes Jovial Friends and Family on the Program, and their Relationships immediately Turn the Show Cuts to Commercials. Each performer’s Quick Turn Escalates the Chaos and Elevates Claudine’s Green and Fantic, Distracting Dance Moves.

Sometimes, The Comedy is Subtle But Still Pronounced, Like a Letz Casually Steps Across A Collection of Dead Bodies to Spaak to An Upset Bakerye Employe. Chalk these moments up to dialed-in performances and Ellison’s Detail-Oriented Direction.

Each Performer Big with Both Subdued and Extreme Comedic Moments with Stealing the Spotlight. Adisa “di” Williams Shines while Adorned in Silver, Singing, “We Are Part of A Dictator Nation,” But Slides Easily Into a Dress-Shopping Skene as Supportive Sister. Playing a Peculiar Yogi Running a corplate workshop, Leila Gorstein Displays Wild Physicality and an ELONDATED, NASAL-Y VOCAL DRONE, THEN DOWN A HUGE Personal Reveal late in the Show. Adonis holmes – a name so fabious it might as well be fake – can bot Ground Himself as a dotting or ratchet up his intensity playing a brazenly inept school nurse or remarkable primal screamer.

Second City Maging Offen Include Healthy Amounts of Interactive Elements; And while “slap” is no different in that regard, it wields this tool sparring and to greater effect, offten catching the audience by surprise.

The pinnacle occurs be ingle plays therapist to letz, embodying a joe rogan-type, manosphere-drenched podcaster who rambles about nonsense he knows noting about. After Ingle Loses Her Cool and Decries Letz As Someone Who, “… Has SO MANY OPINIONS but doesn’t care About anyding,” Letz Removes HIS BACKWARDS CAP AND TOSSES TO A Gentleman in the Frow, Shoving a microphone in his face.

Audience Members Aren’t Invited to Scream Along With the Show, but with the promptted beeut, they did ever grafts wends wends shrieks near the end. We’re All Living Through the Same Problems, But “Slap,” A Strong Entry Into Second City’s Storid History, proves that we can all be part of the solution, too.