Players’ Theatre Presents: Dinner

​Lobsters, sexpots, philosophy, murder weapons, art, theft, cheese, science and genitals are only a small taste of what’s in store during this dinner party from hell. Director Sophie van Bastelaer describes her inspiration for this show: “When I was seventeen I went to Scotland to perform in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and to stuff my face with fried Mars bars. In between the performing and the face-stuffing I met Harry Potter star Alfie Enoch, who came up to me on the street and invited me to his show. Dazzled by his celebrity, I used one of my precious three show tickets to attend his play, Dinner. It was hilarious, and it was heartbreaking, and it changed the way I think about the world.”

On Monday night, I attended a preview of this witty play prepared by Players’ Theatre. It was a comical piece about a group of affluent individuals who gathered for a not-so-glamorous dinner party.

The play opens with the shrieking voice of a blonde woman in a smart black dress. “Am I paying you to stand there?” she bosses the waiter. This is Paige. She is an impervious, rude and cynical lady who happens to be the main host of the night. On the other hand, Paige’s husband, Lars, is a philosophical man with a soft spot. The two never seem to get along.

As time goes on, the guests arrive one after another. Wynne is a perky yet vulnerable painter who is a self-described “eroticist.” Hal is a childish and awkward microbiologist whose fashion sense is epitomized by his pineapple-print socks. Hal is married to Sian, a cool but blunt journalist with a horrible sense of timing. Together at one table, these five characters bring about drama and destruction.

Although merely funny at first, as time went on, the play made me feel tense and somewhat awkward. But it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling—simply the result of a masterful work. The story ended with a giant bang from an ultimate plot twist. I left the theater feeling pained and conflicted.

This play has a a tale worth telling, and it is backed up by talented performers. It will make you laugh, it will make you cringe, it will make you wonder and it might make you cry. So don’t miss out on this dinner party from hell.

• dinner
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