A show with zest, crude flavor, and an insanely intelligent concept, The Second City Theatre’s new sketch comedy show "Undateable" makes for a good night on the town. Directed by Frank Caeti, and written and starring Robyn Lynne Norris and Bob Ladewig, "Undateable" presents short sketches with dialogue that is taken directly from the creators’ conversations on the online dating website OkCupid.  A clever concept, spot-on writing, and lovable actors make "Undateable" a huge success.

Robyn Norris and Bob Ladewig started their experiment by wanting to test the reaches of online dating and those who use it.  They began by having a photo shoot with their friends, creating 38 different outlandish personal accounts on the popular OkCupid website, an idea that was inspired by Robyn Norris’ own experience with online dating.  While trying to view a friend’s OkCupid account, Robyn had to create an account of her own, inspiring the character 'Tracylovescats.'  After seeing that her cat-obsessed, fictionalized self became highly popular in a matter of days, Robyn called in Bob Ladewig to help create the experiment that would eventually become "Undateable."  The 38 accounts were separated by race, gender, age and sexuality while also having their own quirky absurdities.  A few of the male characters had little to no success finding matches, but it was amazing to see, over the course of the show, the variety of characters and amount of people who felt a connection to some of the most grotesque 'human beings' ever imagined.

Primarily a comedy show, "Undateable" captures an intrigue that sketch comedy usually lacks.  Rather than only existing for the jokes or for shock factor, much of the entertainment comes from the authenticity of the production.  Instead of only viewing the outlandish and absurd results from the experiment, there are moments of intimacy and human compassion.  Robyn Norris and Bob Ladewig paint a wide spectrum of the diverse online dating culture, playing jokes and critiques, yet also showing the true struggles of finding love.

Emotional depth is nice, but there’s one thing that brings audiences to a comedy show: the comedy...  and Second City knows comedy.  Built on the guilty humor of seeing how people truly act online, "Undateable" keeps the show moving by having quick transitions, and it never lingers on one subject for too long.  The fast pace leads to a great energy that persists from beginning to end, and if anyone is looking for an adult-friendly show, this is the one; taking lines from online human interaction allows for more than enough raunchy dialogue.  One real person who makes several appearances throughout the production is 'Thickblackcock,' a presumably male person who is looking for love... well, maybe just a fling.  Other characters make repeated appearances in the show, and two lucky audience members may just find themselves in the cross hairs during the small improv portion of "Undateable."

The Second City's "Undateable" delivers a fresh concept to the LA Theatre scene.  A mix between social analysis and comedy, Robyn Lynne Norris, Bob Ladewig and the entire cast provide an introspective and humorous presentation of the online dating phenomenon.  From absurd dance and musical sequences to romantic love scenes, "Undateable" keeps the audience wondering “what could possibly happen next?” and will continuously amaze with their answer.

"Undateable" is playing through December 19 at The Second City Theatre (6560 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles). Tickets are 10$. For more information visit SecondCity.com