Recommended *** Sometimes, theater and cabaret intertwine, or overlap. Many of our smaller venues, mostly ones with alcohol sales tend to offer late night shows that are a bit off-color or naughtier than they ought, but the remounting of “The Game Show show…and stuff!” created by Anderson Lawfer ( who serves as host) and James Anthony Zoccoli ( his “color man” sidekick) at the Mercury Theater is a high energy late night show that could also be considered theater, so I am reviewing it at both classifications.
The intimate Mercury Theater located in the very hip Wrigleyville/Lakeview neighborhood is the ideal spot for a show like this. Everyone is close to the action which will involve many audience members whose names are drawn from a spinning container and then they are brought up to compete for prizes. The games are silly and inane with titles like “Annie Get Your Green Card” pitting the two players with real questions about our government and yet, it was funny! Another game called “Stuck of Loose” offers the contestants to pick items on a table as either stuck to the table or loose, meaning they can be picked up. An even stranger game was having two blindfolded contestants, without using their hands dig into a glob of jello in order to find baby toys and place them in a container. The big finale was a dance contest with all of the winners participating and this was a ball.
While the game show aspect is hysterical, they also have a solid band playing some truly wonderful music, two very sexy singers/assistants Nikki Klix and Ann Sheridan Smith, a guest appearance each performance ( tonight a robot women who truly knew how to turn it on) and some little dares with teh audience. Imagine drinking a bottle of salsa sauce for a $20 bill! Well, we saw it done and with no ill effects ( at least not during the 78 minutes of showtime we witnessed)!
The Game Show has been around for some time, but this production, which is scheduled to run through New Years Eve ,propmises to be the right place at the right time- we all need diversion, we all need sexy showgirls, we all need a good laugh and we all need some prime time entertainment at affordable ticket prices- well, boys and girls- this is it. Just think, $15 for a ticket to late night heaven at The Mercury located at 3745 N. Southport. The Game Show goes on every Friday and Saturday night at 11 p.m. for a little over an hour. You can have an enjoyable dinner ( Southport is a restaurant haven) then come on by for a fun filled 78 or so minutes with a drink ( they are allowed in the theater, in fact, I think they show becomes even better with each drink) and get to meet and mingle with the other 250 plus others having as much fun as you are.
There will be no performances on November 11th and 12th or December 24th, but otherwise every Friday and Saturday night is a rollicking good time on Southport. To make sure you don’r miss this entertaining experience call 773-325-1700 or hop on www.gameshowshow.com
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