We Can be Heroes at Toronto’s Second City is a hilarious sketch comedy romp about all the everyday unsung heroes who don’t wear spandex to save the day

We Can Be Heroes is the Fall Mainstage Revue presented by The Second City. The sketch comedy show is a collection of stories about everyday heroes that don’t don spandex and are never given credit for their deeds. We Can Be Heroes gives those unsung heroes the credit they deserve, along with a lot of laughs.

The songs and sketches encouraged some actual heroism in a piece about the tense homophobic situation in Russia. The injustice enforced by an entire country will not stop one brave lesbian figure skater from competing in the Olympics. The passion and courage was best expressed in the skateless skating routine to Madonna’s “Like A Prayer”.

Other sketches called out those who believe they are heroes without reason. A piece blatantly lectures a man who believes Movember is just a fun month to grow a mustache, instead of a cause to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer. The same man is unaware that his yellow “livestrong” bracelet is for testicular cancer research. This sketch had a surprisingly serious message about the hypocrisy of wearing costume without being a hero.

As serious as those sketches were, I felt some of their best stuff was just plain silly. Sometimes you don’t need a smart message. Sometimes you just want to watch a grown man (Connor Thompson) dress up like a bat and flutter around the stage for five minutes. I cried from laughing when he made his escape, but not before messing up the hair of an unsuspecting audience member.

The performers and writers Craig Brown, Jan Caruana, Stacy McGunnigle, Allison Price, Connor Thompson and Kevin Vidal all bring something to the table, whether it is acting, singing, or twerking. The cast is impressive in its versatility, its undeniable chemistry, and its ability to appear on stage so quickly I considered they had teleported.

We Can Be Heroes was a great show. I enjoyed myself, my friend enjoyed herself, and I didn’t see anyone else around us with a disappointed face. Consider the act of going to see this show as your duty to encourage comedy and laughter in the city of Toronto. Go on, be a hero.

Details:

• We Can Be Heroes (The Second City) is playing at The Second City Theatre (51 Mercer Street, Toronto)
• Show Times: Tuesday – Thursday at 8pm, Friday – Satuday  at 7:30pm and 10 pm, Sunday at 7:30pm
• Tickets are $24, except for on Friday and Saturday shows where the price is $29. To buy tickets you can call the box office at 416 343-0011 or buy tickets online. Dinner & Show packages are available, as well as student and group discounts.