Curated by Taylor Hreljac & Gabe Meacher, Spotlight at Second City is a variety show and great opportunity for both veteran audiences and newbies to experience the wide array of sketch comedy in Toronto. With hosts described as “an amuse bouche”, the evening truly does feel like a satisfying multi-course meal with each act offering up something different and tasty. I couldn’t continue this review without giving the hosts their flowers, rocking their suit and sweater combos like they’re about to become the biggest menaces at the bookstore bar. Their chemistry and energy is infectious and their quick fun sketches used to introduce each act makes a fun appetizer for the main courses to come.

Legally Brown (The Token Ones)

Performed and created by Saba Akhtar, Yazmin Butcher, Jacqueline Ashton, and Kirthiga Rajanayagam, their new show The Token Ones tackles taking space amid those in power who are constantly seeking the token presence in the room, in addition to some great bits about modern dating where the stress encompasses all sexualities.

This is a very talented ensemble with strong chemistry and pinpoint timing. None of their sketches felt too short or too long. They were clear and concise in their writing and structure. Their work is a textbook example of how to do sketch well and writing from a very personal place that speaks to their audience. My personal favorite sketch is how a lack of sex life leads to arts and crafts, which may have hit the soul of I reckon 30% of the Toronto Theatre Community. That all being said, it felt like there was more that could have been done. The ground they cover is well trodden and has a history of being satirized and parodied already. The group has the comedic smarts and talent to dig even more into these topics and continue working on generating more bite or new ways to approach these situations. A fun and well structured show by a talented group that can afford to go deeper.

The Mathemagician (Emily Jeffers)

There is something special about watching a true artistic labor of love. You may only be experiencing the work for the first time and know nothing about it’s development. But, you can sense it. That is how it felt to watch Emily Jeffers’ The Mathemagician. A unique and hilarious solo show with the titular mathemagician who seeks to educate the audience on solving the mysteries of the universe with math.

Jeffers shines as the titular character with excellent comedic timing and crowd work, able to move from moment to moment and get the audience invested in their mathematical teachings. As someone who dropped math after grade 11 for creative writing (ask my bank account how that decision played out for me), I found myself charmed and laughing by this character while being connected to my fellow audience members. In the space, we formed a makeshift math community and that is purely because of Jeffers’ crowd working ability. Picking up on the energies of the room and turning them into playable moments bonds the room together in a way that makes this a class you wanna enroll in.