I've lived in the area for a bit and FINALLY made my way to the Laugh Factory. My friends and I…read morecame for a late night stand-up show. Tickets were free!! Honestly a great show, I've been to some really bad stand up before and I was impressed by each of the comedians. There is a two drink minimum per person - alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Not a big deal to us since we were in the mood for a drink and didn't pay for tickets, but something to note if you're coming to a paid show. There's a lot of open seating as well, and all were in great view of the stage. The venue is fairly large while still feeling pretty intimate. If you're a fan of comedy I'd definitely recommend a stand-up show, and I'll probably be back to check out one of the paid ones!

3-4 out of the 7 comedians were decent or better. Tickets were cheap at $25/piece but the 2 drink…read moreminimum is stupid. Just include it in the price of the ticket. My wife and I don't drink but we ended up spending $50+ on mocktails which was about the same as the tickets and was an unexpected surprise. Stupid policy. The chairs are also very uncomfortable. Try to get a booth - they looked comfier.

Amazing. Had an absolute blast and laughed my ass off with my girlfriend last night at their final…read moreshow at ComedySportz. Look forward to keeping tabs on this group and catching another show.

From the owner: Each live show has a different theme. Tickets are normally $10, but if you join in on the theme,…read moreyou'll get in for $7. Sinc each week is different, you'll have to check Octavarius.com for details.

Went to see Enemy of the People last night and it was a great performance and experience. The…read moretheatre is great because it's large enough to have a lively audience, but compact enough that it remains intimate without a bad seat in the building. Definitely look forward to attending more shows in the future.

I've been a subscriber for a while before the pandemic hits. Just went back for "Trouble In Mind"…read moreand I was reminded why I love this theater so much. While the space is small compared to other major theaters, the level of artistic and ingenuity is unparalleled. I personally enjoy a more intimate setting; each play felt like an immersive experience. I also like the level of polish in each play vs the more experimental/ grunge productions in similar-sized theaters. For example, the hang out area by the bathroom was brilliantly decorated as "the green room," which had layers of meaning that reinforced the themes in the play, "Trouble in Mind." I'm always entertained while learning something new when visiting this local gem of a theater.

One of the more underrated theatrical experiences in Chicago, the Annoyance Theatre bodes a fun…read moreatmosphere with a full bar and great comedy shows. My friends and I came here on a Friday evening for a show and had such a fun time. Our tickets were super affordable, and the bar tending staff was very nice. We ordered a few beers, but we didn't get a chance to try any of their food. I definitely would suggest if you're looking for a fun activity in the Lakeview Area venturing here for a great time. I will definitely be back!

I have been going to shows at The Annoyance for over ten years, and I have yet to see a bad one…read more The bar staff is always awesome, and hanging out before or after a show in the bar area is always a great time. I regularly bring visitors to The Annoyance, as it's a great way to spend a small amount of money to showcase great Chicago comedy. Their ticket prices are not a hit on the wallet at all, even if one is hosting many people. I love it for a random date night as well.

OK, I was somewhat intrigued at the prospect of full on, frontal male nudity. Heck, we women don't…read moreget to see much of that on the stage or in movies. Somehow, though, I expected more creativity, more clever humor, more ahem---substance, more everything. I saw the Dec. 5, 2009 show. To write this review I had to choose categories. Hmmm, Arts & Entertainment....I would definitely NOT call this art. Too much spare time on (in) someone's hands, perhaps. Entertainment (?) a loosely used term, "Performing ARTS" (?)...oh please. I'll readily admit to morbid curiosity on my part. The free tickets and an intense desire to be in the city for a change were motivating factors for braving this spectacle. As open minded as I'm known to be, I seriously walked out after 15 minutes. I MEAN...15 minutes was definitely giving them the benefit of the doubt. Seriously though, how long can you stare at a train wreck? How ridiculous it was, the whole affair! It failed to live up to the hype. After seeing Puppetry of the Penis, I won't EVER, EVER harshly judge my creativity again. To think grown men are touring the world and getting paid alot of cash for stretching and molding their genitalia on stage in front hundreds of people, that fact is amazing. Oh and don't let me neglect to mention that "close up" views are provided of the 'dick tricks' via rear screen projection. Attending this scene taught me once and for all, if you have PASSION for your ideas, you can find a way to market and sell them! Hey, I saw it with my own eyes, the PROOF is in the penis. P.S., the BEST part of the evening was a Chicago-based comedienne by the name of Beth Stelling. FUNNY, funny, funny woman! Relaxed and comfortable in her own skin. Self deprecating humor from the Rodney Dangerfield school of comedy. I see big things ahead for her. She's got a FaceBook fan club.

These ladies get nothing buy love from me! JDA runs a great room! If you are a lady,of the funny…read morepersuasion,come check out this show! You will not be sorry! The room is super supportive and perfect for tweaking new material! The showcase is top notch,too! This is the best of both worlds,open mic and showcase. If you want to see a fun show,drop in,check it out! Just go!

I have never been so proud of something I have been a part of. This show, this team, this group of…read moreperformers, the venues, everything is stellar! Don't just take my word for it. Come see for yourself. This show has such a positive energy and a high level of enthusiasm. It makes you feel good just to be in the room. Plus it is entertaining as hell! 1st and 3rd Thurs of every month at Hydrate, the all ladies open mics have been highly praised and loved by all of the women who do them. If you are a woman wanting to try an open mic, but are scared of the open mic scene, this is the perfect place to spread your wings. It is a supportive room with graceful and tactful honesty. All of the girls have walked away feeling so confident and supported. The featured showcase directly after that is always top-notch hilarity. Our 2nd Thurs of every month is a mixed-sex showcase at Parlour. These are fantastic because it is an intimate space, with amazing comics, and insane drink specials. Laughter is the best medicine. Three times a month come out and laugh your faces off!

Came to see Daniel Seavey and Sombr in April and it was AMAZING. After the concert I went outside…read moreof the venue and hugged Sombr and met some of his band members. Nice view from any seat. Also I can now confirm that sombr is 6'7

I visited The Vic for the first time in years to see comedian Janelle James. For whatever reason,…read moreshe chose to film her Netflix special there instead of a nicer venue. We arrived 30 minutes before the doors opened and found a line wrapped around the block. We had tickets for the second show, so we had to wait for the first show to let out. It was a little chilly so standing outside sucked. But the line moved quickly and finding a seat was painless. I found the venue and seating underwhelming. The seats are cheap folding chairs. They're packed tightly so good luck if you get stuck next to someone that's on the heavy side. During the show, a patron fell out of his seat twice and Janelle James ended up mentioning it in her act. He fell because the chairs were terrible!! Poorly constructed doesn't even begin to cover it. The acoustics were good though. I had no problem hearing Janelle James. I could barely see her though. The seating isn't elevated or sloped, so if you're short and surrounded by taller people, then you'll be staring at the back of their heads all night. That sucked, but what can you do? I caught glimpses of her sporadically, which ended up being fine. I didn't buy any food or alcohol, so i have no opinion on that. We exited the venue as quickly as we entered, which was a plus. I think it helped that we were seated towards the back. We got to the brown line in no time and were home soon after. The show was entertaining and I had a good time. Overall, the experience was satisfactory, but, I doubt I'd visit this venue again anytime soon.

Nice theater, small and well managed. Went to watch young Frankenstein with our 15 year old which…read morewas a mistake. The musical should be 18-+ because of some content. If our daughter didn't tag along my husband and I would have enjoyed watching it to the end . We left in the interval because we didn't want our daughter feeling uncomfortable. So many wasted $$$

One of my favorite mid sized theaters in the city. I've seen a number of shows here and they all…read morehave been excellent.

Remember the briar Street theater is in a residential area and parking is very difficult. Get there…read moreearly or reserve parking ahead of time. Also, there's a line to get in so get there early to get in on time. It's a small theater.

I liked the show. Bought tickets for my dad's September birthday and attended the Nov 9th…read moreproduction of Blue Man Group. I've intended to go for the longest time but only was finally able to make it work. Went with our group of four and greatly enjoyed the mime drumming 90's stylized show! Crazy it's going to be closing down soon; I would recommend seeing it before it leaves Chicago!

Scott is the best! He is engaging, flexible, thoughtful and 100% focussed on ensuring the…read moreexperience is memorable. I spent 9 months in the Middle East as a member of the Army Reserve and wanted to do something special to surprise my 6 year old triplets at their elementary school. Scott immediately "got it" and planned the perfect surprise that built up to an incredible moment. He was also an excellent ambassador to the school to ensure every aspect of the surprise was expertly synchronized. Scott, thank you!!!!

We called Scott for our daughter's 6th birthday tea party. He responded promptly, was friendly and…read morefunny, yet professional. He arrived on time and ,even though he was greeted by 12 super excited (and slightly impatient) little girls, he quickly engaged the crowd, and had both children and adults oohing and aahing and giggling in no time. I have heard back from several parents that their kids are still proclaiming that to be the best party ever. Most importantly, our daughter was THRILLED. So, mission accomplished, and 5 stars from us. Thanks, Scott!