Review: REALITY DETOX: THE IMPROV EXPERIENCE at The Second City e.t.c.

The Second City e.t.c.’s 50th revue Reality Detox promises more improv than ever before. While originally billed as an all-improv piece, ensemble members Kennedy Baldwin, Anna Portnick, Chas Lilly, Max Thomas (appearing in his second e.t.c revue), Annie Sullivan, and Riley Woolen haven’t quite made it there. But Reality Detox features substantially more improv than some past revues. The ensemble uses a chalkboard to indicate the line-up of sketches and improv moments of the evening. It appears that the improv slots rotate so audiences also see different sketches each night, making each performance a little different. 

The format lends a renewed energy to this revue, and the show opens with a brief conversation with the audience so the ensemble can source ideas for the improv sketches. It’s a clever twist — because it allows the ensemble to both warm themselves up and prepare the audiences for what they’re about to see. At the performance I saw, a suggestion about taking a 23 and Me test became a clear source of inspiration for improv — becoming the theme of a fully improvised song from Portnick and Lilly and making appearances in multiple sketches. The improv felt really fresh here. And while I didn’t think all the sketches landed, I appreciated that this ensemble focused on more “evergreen” comedy themes. This revue has fewer overt political references than many past Second City shows — but I think that allows it to succeed better as escapist entertainment.

The infusion of more improv also makes this a real ensemble show. The second act opens with a long-form improv scene, and I think it really demonstrates the amount of trust this ensemble shares. This was my favorite part of the show — the ensemble members didn’t let any particular bits linger too long, but they built a really engaging scene together.

Portnick had some of the most engaging physical comedy of the night; I liked her bold choices. Lilly was also particularly daffy in many of his sketches. And I think Thomas’s experience on the e.t.c. stage allowed him to be at ease and not force the jokes.

Director Anne Libera, assistant director Abby Rankin, music director John Love, stage manager Abby Beggs, lead technical director John Kelly, set designer ,ShaynaPatel(Scenic Designer), associate technical director Daniel Parsons, wardrobe stylist, Clare McKellaston, painters Rain Folies & Mattie Switzer(Painters), production assistant Charlette San Juan, and fight coordinator David Woolley round out the creative team. 

While theater criticism is usually more nuanced than this, when I go to The Second City, I always ask: Will I laugh? I definitely laughed at Reality Detox! Adding more improv into the mix works, and I hope to see a fully improvised revue in the e.t.c.’s future. 

Reality Detox: The Improv Experience plays an open run at The Second City et.c., 230 West North Avenue. 

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