Why should you see “Between Barack and a New Show,” now playing on Second City’s main stage? Because it is what is great about Second City. If you want to see how this company really works, go now. With productions taking the stage year round, the company transitions from one show to another right in front of the audience’s eyes. They phase in new material as it is written and out goes the old. It is an exciting time. Watch these comedians and writers be put through the paces of so many luminaries that have taken the stage before them. If you saw “Barack” when it was between a hard place you might recognize some of the best material still intact while the show is in limbo. The musical number “I am Socially Awkward” and the audio tour of the Art Institute are two that I was happy to see again, but some of the new material was great as well. Do not expect anything. Everything is up for elimination and your reactions help determine if it goes or stays. In a few months Second City will deliver a brand new show, but the in-between time is way more thrilling. (William Scott)
At Second City, Pipers Alley, 1608 N. Wells, (312)332-2244. This production is now closed.
A Jewel of a Show: A Review of Gem of the Ocean at the Goodman Theatre As with the epic tales of the ancient world, the characters’ stories blend together into one complex, interrelated narrative that gives insight into the past and offers moral and practical guidance for the present.
