Second City’s New Mainstage Show “Pandemonium, Please Hold”

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Second City’s New Mainstage Show“ Pandemonium, Please Hold” is Smart and Hysterical - Review By: Paul Lisnek  

****/4

“Pandemonium, Please Hold” is smart, hysterically chaotic and a triumph of mainstage shows. This is one of the funniest shows I’ve seen at Second City. It captures the best of what we have come to expect from S.C. performers. The scenes are topical and at many times, gleefully unhinged. This show is fresh, current, relevant and sharply polished; the cast is seasoned and connected. They have audiences laughing at the chaos and never buried by it. The show title is a perfect reflection of what they have in store for us for about two hours.

The show is strongly anchored by Bill Letz (returning to the Mainstage for his second revue), Second City touring alums: Preston Parker, Cat McDonnell, Zoe McKee, Second City e.t.c alum Eddie Mujica, , and Yazmin Ramos (alum of the inaugural Second City New York ensemble); the ensemble is nimble, focused, comfortable and sharp from the opening thru the encore. In fact, what makes this revue work so well is the momentum and comfort of the cast with each other (keeping rhythm on one woman’s chest area seems to be no privacy intrusion at all). There is mutual trust and connection between them.

The show never lingers too long (with the possible exception of a sketch about a Disney Cruise facing a Titanic fate) and always runs at full power. The balance between spontaneity, improv and planned sketches is exactly what gives the evening its charge. The take on driverless delivery vehicles is classic and the first time I’ve ever seen the very current topic addressed. 

The writing found new ways to widen a joke without losing the point. This was brilliantly exhibited in a sketch about how comedy writers will keep A.I. from interfering with live comedy writing and performance. With audience input, it became instantly fluid and relatable; this scene is sure to be fresh and new every night; I wish I could watch it over and over with new audience suggestions. Similarly, the shift to musical numbers raises the energy up and keeps the production alive from one scene to the next. 

The production also benefits from Second City’s always clean, minimalist staging. Even a set of simple chairs adds hilarity to a scene where the performer needs to move down the line of chairs at her mother’s funeral…somehow six chairs transform into twelve! As always on a Second City stage, the minimalist design enables the audience to focus on the performers who are always front and center.

Most importantly, this ensemble plays as a true unit. Each performer is listening, matching, and building on the rhythm in real time. 

This is the kind of Second City show that reminds you why live sketch comedy is a classic not-to-be-missed Chicago experience. The audiences here are smart and the comedy on stage is as well…it’s quick, responsive, and reflective of our current moment without feeling inappropriate or disposable. 

“Pandemonium, Please Hold” is enjoying an Open Run. Tickets can be purchased at: www.secondcity.com. Don’t put your effort to get tickets and see this show on hold….get to it!