Lunartic | Soho Theatre

Lunartic has the potential of a hilarious and positively shiny show - the moon wanting to be a star, but the sun holding her back with the thread of an eclipse. However, in delivery, the show itself feels a bit dull.

The Moon, in a bid to become a star, has decided to put on a show. She starts with a hilarious bit where she enters from the back of the room, singing Total Eclipse of the Heart. Then we learn that while the Moon is determined to be a star, she’s constantly interrupted by the Sun, who keeps calling her throughout the show and threatening an eclipse. Audience members play different parts of the solar system, like Earth and Mercury. Other audience members are made to play the part of a nursery rhyme, with the cow that jumps over the moon and the dish that runs away with the spoon.

Everything is a bit drawn out, and ultimately, the plot is bogged down by the audience participation. Audience members are asked to sing, speak, lift, and dance at times. We don’t spend a lot of time with the moon character just by herself, and so everything feels quite bitty.

And while all of these planetary puns and physical gags are funny, they do get a bit flat after a while. The plot gets lost many times as people are pulled on stage to perform bits alongside the Moon. It’s funny, but it’s not going anywhere, as the tension of the Sun pulling an eclipse on the Moon and wiping out her light isn’t really held throughout. We forget it every so often until another phone call comes in and the Moon tells us sadly she’s worried about the lights going off.

And then, the lights do go off. But the audience is asked to use their ‘pocket stars’ AKA mobile phone torches, to help light her up. And we sing a bit of Blue Moon at the end and she finds her light in the form of standing up to the Sun. It’s intended to be endearing but it’s a slapdash ending.

Lucy Peaman, as a performer, is very charismatic and adept at crowd work. That really is the most impressive thing about the show. Immediately, she has everyone on side and no one resists her requests to participate. She laughs with the audience at times, and she really plays the sweet and slightly timid Moon character well. She’s thoroughly lovable.

There is room to improve this show and even make it great. The premise of a lone Moon trying to make it as a star and being held back by the fact that she cannot make her own light is rich with not only humour but heart. In this, the heart is replaced by many physical gags and audience participation. This show could do with faster pacing and a reduction of some audience participation bits, to make room for a more robust plot.

Ultimately, if you’re a fan of puns and physical humour, and you want something silly and lighthearted, this show is for you. If you’re looking for something deeper, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

★★★☆☆ (3*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Dylan Woodley