Luke Messina: IMPASTA SYNDROME Review by Alice Russo
★★★★★
The venue is full of people, the door is jammed, and some people are standing at the back.
Long-time comedian Luke Messina has just turned 46, and for his birthday, he’s getting a colonoscopy.Â
In IMPASTA SYNDROME, the self-described chubby Jew reckons with a midlife crisis by reflecting on his past and present. His material is inspired by every topic imaginable: anxiety, anal play, rappers, swearing, Viagra, world affairs, marijuana, and the Chinese, to name a few. The jokes aren’t disparate, though—they don’t call him the King of Transitions for nothing. The bits weave together in a quick-fire stream of consciousness that can only be described as the life and times of someone we really want to smoke a joint with.
Watching Luke feels like spending time with your favourite uncle or older brother. He’s ridiculously likeable—slightly manic, scruffy, with a hippie stoner vibe—yet wizened, sincere, and perceptive, with a charismatic New England accent. He’s self-deprecating with a matter-of-factness and determined confidence that come across as neither attention-seeking nor pathetic, even when he attaches the lapel mic to his nipple. Luke’s persona even allows him to get away with jokes about controversial topics unscathed. To top it all off, his extensive comedy experience shines through when he improvises: he riffs off himself continuously, and even tastefully roasts a 9-year-old boy, much to our and the boy’s delight.
Luke’s energy is contagious, and we rejoice watching him because he nails the delivery of each joke and adeptly pinpoints the emotion needed for maximal impact. He can swing, for example, from confessional (admitting the scope of his rectal activities) to conspiratorial (why have all the rappers shrunk?) with equal credibility. IMPASTA SYNDROME even opens and closes with memorable musical numbers and accompanying dances.
During IMPASTA SYNDROME, the audience is never quiet. Because his material is so well-written, and the delivery so good, Luke earns our laughter even in the space between his punchlines. We barely stop laughing at the last thing before we get to the next.
Luke is a comedy master who delivers jokes on top of jokes with a side of jokes.
This show is as satisfying as watching Gordon Ramsay cook something really delicious. It looks effortless, but we wouldn’t be able to do it ourselves. We just sit back and watch the master do his thing.
This review of IMPASTA SYNDROME, written and performed by Luke Messina, was based on his Nov. 9, 2024 performance at Imprfcto Parallel during the Barcelona Fringe Festival.
