Performing in a boiling hot room which is clearly not a theatre can’t be the easiest job in the world. The Lunch Box, located underneath the Melbourne Town Hall manages to squeeze about 30 people in to see the 2009 winner of Best Comedy at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Claudia O’Doherty, who handled the conditions with absolute aplomb.

The cute and bubbly O’Doherty takes to the stage in character with her performance detailing the life and explosion of a deep sea colony, Aquaplex. As the sole survivor of the explosion, she deems it her responsibility to educate us in the ways of Aquaplex in the form of a formal presentation. A show with a presentation format is a risky venture, but O’Doherty’s inventive use of props, lighting and music contributed largely to the laughs and hits of the show. From posters and self crafted models of Aquaplex, to snorkle goggle clad shoeboxes for every audience member, there are always several methods of entertainment amusing her audience. The props cleverly accompany her jokes, bringing all O’Doherty’s fictional ramblings together neatly.

The truly unique and compelling show extracted many laughs from the audience, and is far from a regular 60 minutes of straight stand-up. Audiences must allow themselves to be drawn into O’Doherty’s fictional story and world, and if they do so will find much to enjoy.  See Claudia O’Doherty as an escapism to everyday life.