Days and Nights at The Second City: A Memoir, with Notes on Staging Review Theatre [Paperback]

Bernard Sahlins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2002

On December 1, 1959, in Chicago, a small band of classically trained actors, directors, and musicians came together to create what became—and remains—a legendary home of comedy: The Second City. Very quickly it achieved a national and international reputation as a center for comedic performance. It served as the training ground for hundreds of important writers, actors, and directors: Bill Murray, John Belushi, Alan Arkin, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, John Candy, Martin Short, Harold Ramis, George Wendt, Mike Myers, Gilda Radner—the list goes on and on. Now Bernard Sahlins, a founder and the longtime director and producer of The Second City, has set down his experiences and his methods in Days and Nights at The Second City. This is a fascinating history of how this remarkable institution came to be, plus a detailed text on every aspect of staging a comic review, and absorbing conversation on the art of the hilarious. Not only actors and directors but anyone interested in theatre and comedy will find engaging and useful insights on every page. With 15 black-and-white photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

John Belushi, Mike Meyers, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Mike Nichols and John Candy are just a few of the numerous comedy greats associated with famed Chicago comedy review Second City. In Days and Nights at the Second City: A Memoir, with Notes on Staging Review Theatre, Second City founder and longtime producer and director Bernard Sahlins (editor, Plays for Performance series) tells the story of this influential cultural institution, from its beginnings in 1959. Sahlins's comic sensibility isn't obvious in this mostly rather earnest book, which contains statements like "Man is the only animal that laughs, and comedy's major role is to evoke the laughter that celebrates our unity as mortal creatures." Still, for anyone curious about the history of contemporary American comedy, this book contains plenty of important background. 18 b&w photos.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Sahlins, one of three founders (in 1959) of the famed Chicago comedy sketch theater The Second City, doesn't profess to have written a complete history; the memoir half of this book stops in 1985. Still, his brief account of the evolution of an institution has charm and wisdom. Those in and around the comedy troupe were political liberals, but they recognized "that the proper target of a satirist is himself and members of his own class." Sahlins recounts how youth culture a subculture through much of the Sixties eventually became the popular culture and helped draw The Second City toward mainstream success. He also offers brief accounts of noted troupe alumni like John Belushi. The book's second half contains extensive directors' notes: on the characteristics of various types of scenes (blackout, parody, etc.), how to best use minimal props and costumes, how to sequence a show, how to open a scene, and how to fix acting mistakes. Sahlins abhors the "bad boy" over-the-top comedy of Saturday Night Live; he wants his actors to "play to the limits of your skill and intelligence." While this book is neither a full history nor a full training manual, the half-loaves are well baked. For strong performing arts collections. Norman Oder, "Library Journal"
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Ivan R Dee (January 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566634318
• ISBN-13: 978-1566634311
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,750,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An important perspective on an important topic, January 20, 2002

By 

Jeffrey Sweet "Jeffrey Sweet" (NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Days and Nights at The Second City: A Memoir, with Notes on Staging Review Theatre (Hardcover)

Bernie Sahlins was producer and sometime director of Second City for the first 25 years.

The first part of the book is a memoir of his days at the theatre. I enjoyed this enormously as I know a lot of the people to whom he refers, but I wonder if somebody without this familiarity would get quite as much.

The second part consists of his notes on putting together sketches and shows. While this is not a comprehensive guide, much of what he has to say here has not appeared in the other key improv books. I think anybody building sketch material from an improvisational base would do well to pay attention. You don't have to agree with everything he says to learn from him. All in all, very much worth your attention.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Out of date, May 29, 2006

By 

J. Fath (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Days and Nights at The Second City: A Memoir, with Notes on Staging Review Theatre (Paperback)

The historical portion of the book is interesting but the notes on staging a review are horrbily trite and seriously out of date. They were probably relavent 20 years ago.