The Second City has a swanky new venue, but its inaugural main stage show, ‘Home Sweet New Home,’ can’t compete

Home Sweet New Home

Written and performed by Andy Assaf, PHATT al, Andy Hull, Nkasi Ogbonnah, Hannah Spear and Jillian Welsh, directed by Carly Heffernan. Until Feb. 12 at the Second City Mainstage Theatre, One York St. secondcity.com or 416-343-0011

Well, at least someone could find new housing in this city.

The Second City, Toronto’s legendary comedy troupe, finally moved into its new permanent digs near Harbourfront last week, two years after it was forced from its old location to make way for a condo development.

Situated on the third floor of One York Street, the spanking-new venue is simply stunning. Three large bars, each furnished with an elegant liquor shelf, are spread across the lobby. Atop the main bar is a neon fixture reading “Yes, and” — an elementary rule-of-thumb for improv comedy and a nod to Second City’s roots.

One corner features a sprawling lounge, with elongated booth-style seats and eye-popping red upholstery. The south side, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Love Park Toronto, will house a full-service restaurant operated by Oliver & Bonacini. And throughout the lobby, moving overhead spotlights add to the hip atmosphere.

In all, the 28,700-square-foot space is cosy but never stuffy and boldly designed to appropriately showcase the company’s character.

The same can’t be said, however, about Second City’s inaugural mainstage production at this new venue. “Home Sweet New Home” features a spirited six-member ensemble doing great comedic work, but also some stale material that’s short on humour, overlong and generally feels too safe.

There’s much comedy that could have been mined riffing off the idea of finding housing in Toronto. But it’s all exhausted after the three-minute introduction: a narrated video played on the two screens flanking the stage, recounting Second City’s many moves over the years because of (condo) development downtown.

Instead, much of the two-hour show is cobbled together using existing material from previous shows, including the company’s summer production of “Mission Totally Possible.” As Second City starts a new chapter in its history, the old sketches in this inaugural show feel incongruous with the company’s bold new setting — as if they’re looking backwards rather than forward.

To be fair, I knew going in that this show did not contain new material, but I was expecting more of a “best of” compilation rather than the decidedly middling sketches presented.

The show opens rather feebly with a scene following two platonic friends (Andy Hull and Nkasi Ogbonnah) — or so they believe, at first — who are out at a painting class. Things become uncomfortable when they recount their dreams, in which they’re more than just friends.

There are several other sketches covering dating, love and relationships. In one, Hannah Spear and Jillian Welsh play two women on an awkward first date. Welsh’s character is recovering from a string of bad relationships, while Spear’s lives with extreme social anxiety, using cue cards to communicate. Then there’s Andy Assaf, hilarious as an inappropriate waiter. Equally charming and funny, it’s the classic comedy you’ve come to expect from Second City.

The ensemble also elicited some hearty laughs from the audience Saturday evening during an improv sketch that strung together various phrases — common brand slogan, worst party insult, favourite movie quote, etc. — suggested by the audience, which came together into a madcap scene.

But these guffaw-worthy moments are few and far between. More often, the sketches feel overdrawn and circuitous, continuing way beyond their punchlines. A scene with animatronic Canadian prime ministers that go haywire, for instance, lacks bite, while a parody of those ubiquitous Questrade commercials takes a jab at the current housing market, but could go even further.

The sketches, however, are evenly distributed among the six ensemble members and offer each a moment to shine. Welsh, in particular, is a standout in a highly relatable solo scene about a woman trying to set up her home Wi-Fi, only to be left on a seemingly endless phone loop with several Rogers customer service representatives. And PHATT al does some wonderful character work as an Afro-Caribbean grandmother admonishing her granddaughter after a late night on the town.

So, even if the sketches are inconsistent, at least they offer an opportunity to admire the fine work of these comedians. And the kitchen. I know this is a theatre review, but I’d be remiss not to mention the finger-licking food off the extensive in-theatre menu, with everything from small bites and cocktails to brunch items. Don’t miss the delectable truffle fries and chocolate churros.

Even if you don’t catch a show this holiday season, the food and chic atmosphere should be reason enough for you to check out the new venue. Nestled in the heart of the ever-burgeoning downtown core, it will be fascinating to see how Second City animates the space in the years, even decades, to come.

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