Improv theatre powered by kids
Superdude and Doctor Rude (out of 4) Written and directed by Reid Janisse. Until March 19 at the Second City Toronto, 51 Mercer St. SecondCity.com or 416-343-0011
When on March Break, do as the children do. That’s the thinking of the Second City with their musical Superdude and Doctor Rude, on the comedy institution’s mainstage for a weeklong run after a short premiere on Family Day weekend last month.
Written and directed by Reid Janisse, known for both his experience on the Second City stage and the annual Ross Petty pantomime, Superdude and Doctor Rude is a perfect combination of those two styles: the typical “hero vs. villain” storyline is twisted around and turned upside down by improvised moments inspired by suggestions from the pintsized audiences themselves.
The usual episode goes like this: Superdude (Paul Barnes, with a Kea- nu Reeves surfer voice and obliviously overloaded confidence) battles his nemesis Doctor Rude (Josh Murray, whose frizzy white wig sits on top of his head like an evil cloud), after he has kidnapped Superdude’s lady love, Damzel (Aimee Ambroziak, in a pink flowery skirt and an “I <3 Superdude” T-shirt).
But with relative ease, and the help of his sidekick, Duder #9 (Phatt Al), and the magical “Bucket of Destiny,” Superdude is victorious and the doctor and his minion Pion (Nadine Djoury) are left to concoct the next day’s plan. But when Superdude makes the grave mistake of leaving the Bucket of Destiny where Doctor Rude can find it, all bets are off and all roles are reversed. Damzel (not her real name, we discover) and Duder #9 must rescue Superdude, enlisting other Duders in the audience.
Poking fun at the stereotypical hero story, Al and Ambroziak do only their parts in an energizing Superdude song; it’s the children’s musical theatre version of the viral Every Single Word videos that supercut lines spoken by people of colour in mainstream TV shows and movies (especially so since Al is the only actor of colour in the cast).
As a production, Superdude and Doctor Rude doesn’t always feel that sharp, but the Bucket of Destiny is an inspired part of the show’s conceit. Before the show begins, children are encouraged to write their suggestions and place them in the bucket.
The bucket — and by extension, the kids’ ideas — is the secret weapon crucial to saving the day.
As the suggestions shape the story, the actors call out and acknowledge the kids’ names. At the end, all of the ideas are acted out in a whirlwind game of charades, so no idea is left out.
And, really, any improv show that takes its direction exclusively from 6- to10-year-olds is going to be entertaining.
Perhaps the best part of Superdude and Doctor Rude is watching these seasoned pros handle what the kids throw at them.