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| - I'm not really sure, but I think that Second City may well have found their home. But by God, it seemed to take them forever. Having used to be housed in the Old Firehall on Lombard Street, they moved to what is now the Diesel Playhouse (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/diesel-playhouse-toronto). After more than exorbitant rent and fees that bordered on extortion, the Second City found a place right behind Toronto mainstay Wayne Gretzky's (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/wayne-gretzkys-restaurant-toronto).
The problem with Second City is that any new location that was found would have a lot to live up to in the memory of the Lombard venue. If you've been to the Second City in Chicago (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-second-city-chicago) or were fortunate to see a show on Lombard, you know that the crowd is packed in night after night to the point that you almost can't move to laugh. This is in fact by design. By having the crowd so tightly packed, you create an environment where it is almost impossible not to laugh. The move from there to what is now the Diesel took that away. A nice amphitheatre with ample room for servers to bring drinks and food, it does not carry the necessary environ for improv let alone sketch comedy. Bring forth the Behind-Gretzky's location.
In the new place, Second City gets a new lease on life, with a design similar to that in Chicago. You're packed in tight for what is consistently one of the best shows in any given week in Toronto. I could go through the menu and beer list for you, but that's not why you go there. It's all about going out, seeing live performances, and feeling like you're part of the crowd. That's what this place provides.
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