Theater Review
Second City satire with a ‘serious’ spin

Photo courtesy of Second City (Left to right) The cast of ‘No, Seriously, We’re All Gonna Die’ is Abby Sher, Al Samuels, Brian Boland, Debra Downing, David Pompeii and Martin Garcia. The comedy opened at Second City on April 13.

By Emily Smith
Commentary Editor

Although the acts of 9/11 are no joke, many of the government’s reactions to it are. These events have caused Americans to take a closer look at our lives, our culture and our leadership. Second City’s new main-stage production, “No, Seriously, We’re All Gonna Die,” which opened April 13, is the collaborative result of such evaluation. It is a hilarious angle on what it is to be American today.

The cast of “No, Seriously, We’re All Gonna Die” includes Brian Boland, Debra Downing, Martin Garcia, David Pompeii, Al Samuels and Abby Sher. It is directed by Second City alum David Razowsky.

The play spends a lot of time mocking the American media and how we view foreign lands. In one skit, the cast members introduce themselves as different countries. France is portrayed as a bully, egging America on, only to flip us the bird and shout obscenities. Russia, played by the humorous Sher, begs for food and talks of its poverty. And Mexico complains about how America stole its land.

One skit makes fun of our entertainment industry and how it would create a movie based on the events of the highjacking of flight 93—the flight made famous by Todd Beamer saying “let’s roll” before crashing in Pennsylvania. The scene starts off with Beamer, played by Garcia, speaking his infamous words before getting out of his seat and fighting the terrorists. As the money-hungry producer, played by Boland, requested more takes, the scene gets progressively commercialized. By the end, Garcia holds a can of Coke as he tries to fight the terrorist, who would be played by Jennifer Lopez, and the music of Phil Collins provides the soundtrack. You can’t help but laugh, even though the reality of such a thing occurring in Hollywood isn’t too far off track.

The entire play pokes fun at issues that America should truly be embarrassed of. A skit that touches upon affirmative action reveals the hypocrisy in minorities who discriminate against other minorities.

Another cracks jokes at group therapy and how we all strive for attention. And one is a conversation between two drunks in a bar about the problems with children and parenting—the humor lies in the logic of these drunken hicks.

Another skit that touches upon our trust in other Americans, an African-American 50-year-old ex-con, played by Pompeii, tries to rent a room from a young woman, played by Sher. In the first run through of the scenario, she happily offers him the apartment even after he reveals his history. In the far-fetched last run-through of the same situation, he stabs her and takes the apartment for himself. Although they are drastic endings, the skit produces a serious question about our level of forgiveness, trust and paranoia today.

The most obvious concept that this play conveys is the arrogance of our country. At one point, it suggests we will have no choice, but to eventually bomb ourselves.

Although the play is funny from beginning to end, it makes the audience question many aspects of our nation.