The Second City Toronto’s 90th(!) revue opened last night to thunderous applause. The most nuanced show I’ve seen from the high floor company in awhile, Duel Citizens features a rare cast that’s evenly strong rather than leaning on a standout or two (they’re all returning from the 89th revue so the chemistry’s pretty in place). Every cast member has at least one highlight moment and they work cohesively really well. Toronto theatre fans will be thrilled to see the loveable and versatile Conor Bradbury, while sketch comedy fans should revel in Devon Henderson and her killer instincts getting a rare third outing in the main cast. New to me but coming out of Second City’s always excellent Tourco, Tiyawnda stands out as a big talent to watch.

Structurally, the new revue makes multiple stabs at pulling threads through their disparate sketches by calling back jokes and suggesting links between otherwise unconnected characters. These attempts are hit or miss at best and wholly unnecessary as the thematic concepts in the show provide plenty of connective tissue. Refreshingly, Duel Citizens doesn’t wallow in Trumpian politics and American turf wars but instead takes on deeper issues that transcend administrations. Layering thoughtful commentary into goofy scenes delivered with bravura comedic commitment, the revue dives into work culture, DEI, the societal burden carried by Black women and, most effectively, toxic masculinity. An early sketch featuring teenage boys working through their feelings within the safe space of multiplayer Call of Duty sets the tone perfectly and a wildly escalating courtroom scene caps the arc as two (white, male) southern lawyers fight for the valuable perception of being the least qualified. The evening’s most effective callback sees Bradbury lead a mini revolution in the fight for workers’ resources by tricking The Second City into buying him a bag of chips.

Smart and challenging without ever seeming to be anything other than a goofy good time, Duel Citizens is a skilled tightrope walk of a nearly perfectly crafted revue. The tired obligation of audience participation brings the only disruption to the riotous pacing as the strong cast delivers hit after hit after hit.