Chris Fung is a bundle of energetic enthusiasm on a wintery Monday evening. As he Zooms me from his home in Woking, Surrey I can see that despite his zest, he is tired. No fear however, as he comes equipped with “a belly full of fried chicken, a head full of mush and screen full of…”, well, me!

He is hard at work on two plays – The Society for New Cuisine & another soon to be announced project – both of which have performances scheduled in 2025. At this present moment, The Society for New Cuisine is in rehearsal for its 18 performances at The Omnibus Theatre in Clapham.

Despite his manic schedule, possible sleep deprivation and dire finances he laughs and says “I enjoy what I do. I’m not living a ‘harder’ life”.

So, what is The Society for New Cuisine and how did Chris Fung – a West End and internationally renowned performer – end up writing an Off-West End Fringe play?

“It’s a sad story, Liv”, he sighs with great vulnerability and begins to talk with such emotion about a time of heartbreak, of questioning, of love and feeling lost. Yet, in all this beautiful complexity he claims, “it’s a simple concept.” The Society for New Cuisine is a story where man learns something about himself. It’s one of Joseph Campbell’s 7 classic archetypes.

Chris has drawn on his own truth, experience and uniqueness to write this piece and somehow still says he’s just a great thief – that no story is truly unique. He has read almost all of the Tony Award Winning Plays of the last decade (he’s very clear that he cannot claim to have read every one) and the works of the playwrights of the Royal Court. He is a sponge – an intelligent, driven and incredibly wholesome sponge.

Chris grew up in a working-class family in Sydney, Australia. He speaks of how his parents gave everything to pay for tutoring so he and his sister could gain admission into selective schools. And he did – he attended James Ruse – the number one selective school in the country. His hard work was instilled in him – his father, at the age of 62, graduated with a law degree, after spending years working shifts and then driving his taxi all night. Chris calls it “the burden of the ancestral dragon.” There is such love, reverence and a fire in him when he talks of his family. He is deeply proud of where he has come from – it fuels his drive. He must create. He’s hungry to grow.

It’s no surprise then that he has pulled out all the stops to surround himself with the best individuals. There’s Jamie Lu on sound design, Rajiv Pattani on lighting, and countless others but “the crowning jewel”, in this already sparkling and weighted crown, is Rupert Hands as his director. Hands has a wealth of experience – he’s been Jamie Lloyd’s right-hand man for years and recently made his West End debut with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels starring Ramin Karimloo and Hadley Fraser.

So how does Chris convince Rupert Hands to work on his Off-West End Fringe show? It seems perfectly logical to me. Chris is passionate, he’s honest, he’s talented, he’s driven and his work is exceptional. It would be hard to say no,

With a star-studded team, a fire in his belly (to go with the fried chicken), a phenomenal script and a very empty wallet, The Society for New Cuisine will take to the stage for a limited run in March at The Omnibus `Theatre.

I ask Chris one more question – I too am hungry. What advice would you give to your younger self?“DON’T DO IT” he screams in his booming tenor voice. He caveats with “if that’s not enough to discourage you – then do it.” Chris’ zest has done little to deter me – we are tarred with the same brush.

For an evening of deeply curated and considered work – go and see Chris Fung in action.

Interview by Olivia Ruggiero.

The Society for New Cuisine is now on sale.

https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/the-society-for-new-cuisine/