Review – My Soul Mate is out of my League
Luke McGregor is the master of the anti-climax. His show splutters and stammers to life with a series of false starts and check-ins with the audience. The stage-shy and nervous comedian instantly endears any audience to his erratic and apologetic ways with his truly unique cocktail of obsessive-compulsive quirks and his almost imperceptible squeals.
Hailing from exotic Tasmania, Luke explores some of the more ridiculous of his obsessive compulsive traits; inviting from the audience recognition and contributions of examples of their own peculiar habits. His tales of a somewhat strained relationship with his father, and a childhood plagued with by bullying, invoke sympathy and hilarity. Luke recounts the complex strategies he employs on a daily basis to form a somewhat loose veil over his obsessive habits. We witness a man at war with himself, and what results is a deeply personal and truly original concoction of tragedy, comedy and pathos.
Luke ponders on what is normal, and what is not. Applying the ‘if it were invented today’ game, he tests some of the more ludicrous habits of human kind. Perhaps in this we are subconsciously being led to realise our ways are all peculiar and ridiculous, which becomes obvious when you apply the right lens. Or perhaps that’s an unnecessarily deep conclusion.
You can almost hear the audience pondering whether Luke’s awkward and anxious persona is a fictional creation or a genuine manifestation of his real, everyday experience. The joy of this performance is in the fact that it is so unlikely that someone with this level of anxiety would willingly place himself in front of an audience. You leave feeling like you’ve witnessed something rare and personal.
Audiences aren’t entirely sure why they fall in love with Luke; but they do, earning him the award for Best Newcomer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and ensuring a sell-out run. I suspect the Fringe will similarly sell out. Squeeze yourself into this show if at all possible.
