Lunch

What is Lunch? Moreover, what is our infatuation with it?

Lunch

Amused Moose Laugh Off 2015 finalist, Luke Courtier, takes us through a confusing hour of musical and not musical musings about what makes the modern activity of lunch what it is. He litters the routine with the foods and facets of the upper-middle class lunch – something more than just food. Things like quail eggs and duck pâte and shopping in Waitrose are the subject of exposure by him to give us an idea of what goes into it.

There are probably hundreds of references to things like this, which, unless you genuinely lunch in this way, go quite far over the head. Maybe I'm too working class for my own good – I have the feeling that this is why the show fell a bit short for me, but I could not understand what was funny for most of it.

Some segments felt completely too tangential to be absurdist, too. Occasionally, he'd dip into characters of soldiers who'd fought in ancient wars. The intention was there: to discuss what it was about lunch that is fashionable but what emerged was a lengthy list of elements of things to do rather without much point.

There were redeeming factors. Courtier's voice is incredible – crackly, but under the immense seat of the Underbelly Belly Laugh, nevertheless impressive. He showcased how versatile he is stretching from a booming low to a lovely falsetto. He performed Tabitha, a memorable song he sang at the Amused Moose final, too. There were quirky characteristics to his delivery, too. The element of entertainment being when he would all of a sudden assume a shy, small voice or deadpan expression when telling anecdotes which would only be important to people who do lunch. He would inject unpredictable passages of story between verses of song. He made odd and random noises, which were not relevant but funny anyway.

Overall, fare for a specific audience, but still keep an eye on Courtier for refreshingly clever musical comedy.

* * * * *


Lunch by Luke Courtier is on at 18:20 at the Belly Laugh, Underbelly, Cowgate until 28 August (exc. 16 August). For tickets and more information, visit the Fringe website.

Author

Bhavesh Jadva

Bhavesh Jadva Voice Team

Former Media Editor on Voice and former Arts Award Editor on AAoV covering film, TV, music and comedy.

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