‘A Succulent Chinese Musical’ manifests its way to Sydney Fringe Festival

• A musical based on the life of Jack Karlson, better known as “the succulent Chinese meal guy” is playing at Sydney Fringe Festival.
• The indie musical is yet another based on irreverent moments in Australian pop culture history.
• Sydney Fringe Festival fills September with a month of thoughtful, experimental art and a huge program of creativity.
• READ MORE: Over 500 singers set to perform historical choir at Sydney Opera House.

We’ve already seen a musical based on that Australian breakdancer who went viral for doing embarrassing things in Paris, with comedian Steph Broadbridge pew-pewing at everyone’s least favourite, and most litigious, Aussie Olympian. Even the plight of Gladys Berejiklian got pristine stage treatment from Tia Wilson with a sharp, incisive one-hour musical, loosely based on the former NSW Premier’s endearing rise and duplicitous fall.

It seems irreverent moments in Australian pop culture (and politics) have become fertile ground for the country’s wittiest playwrights. And so it was really only a matter of time before Mr Succulent Chinese Meal (humanly known as the late, great Jack Karlson) himself was stuffed into the algorithm of oh-so-modern concepts and turned into a musical muse.

While we’re still waiting for stage shows based on Barking Dog Man (imagine the showtunes for that!), Bob Katter’s eternal war against crocodiles, and Bunnings, the fabulous folk at At Your Service Theatre Co. present A Succulent Chinese Musical?!.

That’s really all that needs to be said, but I need to pad this piece out with more words. Overseen by Kate Stewart and Rick Butler, the brand new musical has manifested its way onto the wildly diverse program for Sydney Fringe Festival 2025, prepping its harbour city debut with a tongue-rolling retelling of Jack Karlson and his Shakespearean arrest.

As the official synopsis reads:

“Jack Karlson was a notorious crim: car thief, factory burglar and serial prison escapee, but he could never guess that for all his misdeeds, he’d become a world-famous meme for his verbose and theatrical 1991 arrest. This very serious theatre work tells Karlson’s life story, and shows us the pivotal moments in his life that (may have) inspired his great monologue. The musical numbers are 100% historically accurate.”

The musical played at the Newcastle Fringe Festival in March earlier this year, but this has flown largely under-the-radar for Australians. There aren’t any reviews to go off so we’re not yet sure what to expect from the musical once it lands at Sydney Fringe.

A Succulent Chinese Musical?!

Where: Eternity Playhouse + Flight Path Theatre
When: September 3-13, 2025
Price: $42

sydneyfringe.com