The Second City: America; It's Complicated! Reviews
Washington Post- Recommended
"...High-octane likability is the trademark upheld by director Ryan Bernier's cast; Jillian Ebanks, Jordan Savusa, Adam Schreck and Holly Walker round out the balanced ensemble. The material is a little risque, a little angry - one flyby bit with a political twist ends with a battle cry to call your congressional representatives - but generally, it's genial. Even with some creative skating around during improv segments and a notably giddy impersonation of Vladimir Putin, it's never far from the middle of the road. Apparently that is where you can learn, in a Marie Kondo sendup about making your household ethical, that there's no such thing as woke cheese."
DC Theater Arts- Somewhat Recommended
"...At the performance I attended, some of the audience suggestions were rejected, possibly because the cast was not capable of doing them? More problematic than the improv, though, is the fact that - perhaps in an effort to be fair to both sides of the aisle - the show has a tendency to be bland. And quite a few of the sketches are simply repackaged versions of old material, seen in previous Second City appearances."
MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended
"...While still largely focused on political topics, "America; It's Complicated" stuck a healthy balance, making it enjoyable for audience members of all persuasions by suggesting that blame is too easily thrown around in today's political atmosphere and fault is perhaps quite difficult to pinpoint."
DCTheatreScene- Highly Recommended
"...While America; It’s Complicated doles out barbs aimed at the left and the right, Trump-loving conservatives were on the receiving end of most of the best bits. From an immigration skit ridiculing the administration’s zeal for deportation to the ghosts of Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt visiting the Republican National Committee, the material stayed true to comedy’s roots: Exposing the faults of those in power with laughter and ridicule."
BroadwayWorld- Recommended
"...The Second City, known for both its poignant comedy and its incredible alumni list, feels your pain - it knows it's difficult to wrap your mind around the world we live in today, let alone navigate it. Their latest residency at The Kennedy Center, aptly titled America; It's Complicated!, is the perfect response. Smartly written, deftly performed, America; It's Complicated! somehow manages to both alleviate the stress of living in America today while also providing insightful commentary on it."