Reviewed by Giada
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
The Society For New Cuisine is a wild ride. This dark and unsettling fable, conceived and performed by Chris Fung, is now playing at the Omnibus Theatre. Sitting somewhere between psychological thriller and body horror, it brings a lot to the table - perhaps too much.
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| Photo by @bykenny.k Kenny Kung |
The protagonist, an isolated man, wrestles with the pain of losing his wife. Spiralling toward self-destruction, he brings along the fractured pieces of himself - the son, the immigrant, the lawyer, the lover.
While his motivations are clear, I struggled to feel emotionally invested in his spiritual journey. The monologue format should have enhanced the dialogue between protagonist and audience, drawing us into his turmoil. Instead of being pulled in, I felt more like an outsider, observing the chaos in his mind rather than experiencing it. The storytelling felt disjointed at times, making it difficult to follow the sequence of events or understand how they connected.
Main Course
His desperation reaches a new low when, while masturbating, he stumbles upon a pop-up ad for The Society, an organisation near Tottenham Court Road that pays for sacks of blood. Desperate for quick cash, he enters into a disturbing partnership with them. But will he know when to stop?
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| Photo by @bykenny.k Kenny Kung |
The imbalance in pacing was noticeable. The play takes its time setting up the protagonist’s despair, yet The Society (arguably the central element, as the title suggests) is only introduced much later in the second act. This delayed focus makes the structure feel uneven. By the time the play reaches its climax, the resolution feels rushed. While it’s effective in leaving the audience intrigued by the mysteries of The Society, it leaves too many questions unanswered.
Side Dish
The production leans heavily on multi-media technology - sound distortions, projectors, lights and microphones. While visually striking, these elements didn’t always serve the already fragmented and multi-layered narrative. However, Yimei Zhao’s set design was particularly compelling, with chairs, cables, and microphones sprawled across the stage like tangled caterpillars, an apt visual for the protagonist’s unravelling psyche.
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| Photo by @bykenny.k Kenny Kung |
Dessert
Ultimately, The Society For New Cuisine is an ambitious dish with fascinating ingredients - masculinity, mental health, Buddhist philosophy, and a critique of capitalist consumerism. But the execution is overwhelming. Perhaps, with a bit of refinement, the elements could be rearranged into something more digestible. I am positive Chris Fung will find his way.
The Society For New Cuisine runs at Omnibus Theatre until Saturday 5th April 2025. Tickets are available https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/the-society-for-new-cuisine/
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