Like to laugh? CHECK. Like to laugh at current, irreverent or just plain X-rated stuff? CHECK. Like to laugh for cheap (especially if you’re student) – or even for free ? CHECK.

Then head on down to comedy mecca The Second City (56 Mercer St, close to King and John), for their newest show Barack to the Future, playing every night until the end of December. Don’t be fooled by the name – the fast paced skit comedy show doesn’t just poke fun at our arguably comical neighbours down south; it covers a range of topics from racoons to steamy Cuban lovers to a hilarious little game show called Too Far, which consciously pushes the limits of good taste by riffing on each day’s headlines (it’s the kind of humour that makes you laugh, then groan at yourself for laughing).

Aside from a few X-rated references though, the humour is kept relatively clean – all the better for showcasing real wit and intelligence in the writing, and true comedic and improvisational talent on the part of the cast. The Second City offers professional comedy, not the hit-and-miss stand-up variety one might find at other humour joints. The cast of six (Marty Adams, Kerry Griffin, Darryl Hinds, Reid Janisse, Karen Parker, and Leslie Seiler) riffs off each other’s energy, delivering lines with excellent timing and in many cases with great physical acting. Like the burly Marty Adams playing an 18-inch (45.7cm) dwarf to convincing effect.

With roots dating back to the 1950′s Chicago, The Second City now has theatres and training centres in Chicago, Toronto, Detroit and Los Angeles. Despite its American roots, The Second City in Toronto is distinctly Canadian with our own brand of humour. Shows are Canadian – in Barak to the Future, the steamy Cuban lover skit ends on a particularly patriotic note.

Best of all, though – there are the free improv sets offered at the end of every day’s show, given by the cast from the show. The topics are whatever the audience throws out (the day I was there, performers tried to steer the audience away from US elections, though some loud Americans did bring up the US ecomony… or lack thereof; other funnier topics included pumpernickel and the Sudbury nickel). You won’t get odd looks if you just show up to the free improv sets.

Tickets to Barak to the Future are $23 Sunday-Thursday and $28 Friday-Saturday, and can be bought online or at the door. Student tickets are half price, and can be bought at the door half an hour before the show, subject to availability. Drink prices are what you’d expect at a bar or club. The improv sets at the end of every show are free (give them a call to see when the show will end).

So, what are you waiting for?

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 1:53 pm and is filed under Entertainment, Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.