SECOND CITY, 
Piñata Full Of Bees, $16-$22

With PAUL BATES, LISA BROOKE, MARY PAT FARRELL, 
MARC HICKOX,DOUG MORENCY and LEE SMART
Directed by PAUL O'SULIVAN
      

It's the Friday-night late show, and Second City, Toronto are poised to revamp 
Piñata Full Of Bees in homage to their Yankee counterparts,
Second City Chicago.

This night's celebration of their Chi-town cousins' 40th anniversary takes 
off in a whirlwind of flailing arms, legs and bodies as riotous
tunes blast. Uncle Sam -- stars-and-stripes getup and all -- is beating
down anyone trying to take his shit.

Soon after the high-energy, opening bit, Piñata plummets to 
unbelievable depths of unfunny. The performance, an anemic comedic gasp,
wears, and I mean wears, on.

There's a killer ferret on the loose, and it gnaws on crotches, 
breasts. Low-rent humour and failing fast.

A cast member in a goofy helmet and a cardigan lies motionless
when a pigskin is chucked at her. Dead grannies can't catch, follow? Yawn.

Truly vapid is a skit where two cats grind it out in a wheelchair 
basketball duel, props and all. Turns out one of the peckerheads can walk. 
Help!

Getting acquainted with an actual piñata full of bees would seem like 
bliss compared to enduring this trite-fest -- but the audience is tickled
beyond giddiness.

Meanwhile, my pal is shooting me voodoo glares for dragging him here.

Luckily, a few Improv sketches are a blast of fresh air -- you have 
to expect that from Second City. A daughter discovers that Dad is sweet
on her uncle and Mom is frolicking with her auntie. Mike from the crowd 
offers up his big regret in life for one of the funniest skits of the night.

Not enough of a buzz, and much too late to save the sombre hive.
Piñata is U.S.-specific pap and the comedic equivalent of elevator music.

It doesn't sting. It blows.


-- sigcino moyo