By Elyse Philips
As a society, weâre more obsessed with food than weâve ever been. Cooking shows are some of the most popular on tv, social media is riddled with pictures of peopleâs meals and new food trends seem to crop up every week. In âDistasterChefâ, Micah D Higbed takes aim at this obsession and breaks it down in hilarious ways, getting to the heart of why we eat what we eat.
âDisasterChefâ is a show with broad appeal. It isnât, as the title might suggest, focused on poking fun at the culinary reality shows that flood our TV screens (although for those of us that watch MasterChef, thereâs a story about George in there that youâll enjoy). Instead, Higbed looks at our wider relationship with what we eat â from religion and ethics, to fast food and superfoods. There are some touchy subjects in there, but Higbed handles them beautifully. His material is thoughtful and doesnât resort to cheap shots â often.
Higbed has a great knack for connecting with the audience. Right from the start he struck up a rapport with his casual, conversational tone. He jokes about âbreaking down the fourth wallâ as he sets up his own introduction and sneaka peeks at his crib sheet while sipping beer throughout the night. This isnât a particularly polished show in terms of performance, but Higbedâs style works well with the material. Jokes about things like Catholicism and famine are all taken in good humor because it feels like a friendly chat with a mate, rather than a comedian lambasting you.
âDisasterChefâ is a show that will keep you laughing, but also make you think. Higbed is an intelligent comedian and he approaches his topic in a way that is fascinating and funny. Itâs a great pick for all the foodies out there.
DisasterChef is on at Fort Delta until April 20
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/disasterchef-micah-d-higbed-in