The Society for New Cuisine
"What would you give for a taste of new understanding?" From the pre-set featuring a haunting score and ominously sparse set design, it’s clear that Chris Fung’s one-man show will not be an ordinary one.
We are initially drawn into Fung’s performance with a sense of normality. His struggles with cultural expectations, relationship issues, and the desire to be more than he is are highly relatable, allowing the audience to connect with him. There is a brilliant sense of charisma and even self-deprecation in the early moments of the play—sequences of him failing to chat up a girl and experiencing a sense of weightlessness on a theme park ride make him feel grounded in a world that is anything but natural. One moment, he’s living an ordinary life; in the next, he’s grieving over the death of his wife. Presenting this story in a non-linear fashion truly plunges us into his dissolving psyche.
The set, composed of laptops, lamps, and cables—all operated by Fung—adds to the production’s immersive quality. Credit must be given to this talented and deeply engaged performer, with how he works his track. I also really enjoyed the voiceover work, which gives characters like Beth a real sense of presence in the narrative.
When the titular Society appears (quite late in the play), the narrative suddenly shifts to explore themes such as coercive control, sadomasochism, and even cannibalism. Personally, I would have liked these elements to be interwoven earlier in the story.
This play is not for everyone and I can see how the nonlinear storytelling and time shifting won't appease some. However, this is a minor quibble in an ambitious, dark, and thoroughly accomplished piece of theatre that rattles along at a good pace and lingers in the mind long after the bows.
This show was reviewed on the 22nd March 2025 at the Omnibus Theatre, London where it runs until the 5th April 2025. Tickets available here: THE SOCIETY FOR NEW CUISINE - Omnibus Theatre
Review written by Alex Farley
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Photo credit : Kenny Kung
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