By Adam Stepfner
Table for Two? presented by Will Tredinnick is a hilarious one man show, about the grand re-opening of a restaurant, in which the tables are quite literally turned, and the audience is invited into the crazy world this show creates. An audience member is invited up onto the stage, to be a part of the experience in this rollercoaster comedy, you must expect the unexpected.
The story follows the opening of a restaurant where the goal seems simple; serve the customer and please the manager, when things take a wild turn. Problems start to arise...from the nervous waiter preparing the restaurant for opening, to the chef who throws food all over the place in order to fulfil his artistic integrity, leading up to a death on stage followed by a smoke alarm in which the audience is rushed out of the the theatre giving the show it’s finale. Will Tredinnick portrays 3 characters, a nervous waiter, the flamboyant manager and an arguably insane chef. His physicality through the piece is a highlight, giving the audience laugh after laugh throughout the entire show. He embodies each character with such conviction, along with his stage presence, he commands the rooms attention, regardless of which character steps out from behind the curtain. The waiter, nervous, he shakes, he slips, he trips, he drops things and knocks things over, and without dialogue the clarity of the character is so strong. Allowing an audience member to be a part of the piece proved interesting, as improvisation was essential in order to make this show work, which worked not only on behalf of Tredinnick's skill, but also from the audience member on stage, forced to follow along with the absurd world they have been brought into.
The production elements of this piece worked well with what the space needed to be. A red and pink pallet, with flamingos heavily featured, we see a wall with a curtain, implying the kitchen and acting as a change room for Tredinnick, a table and chairs, a coat rack and some simple decorative pieces such as flowers or a bowl of fruit. The sound and lighting added to the piece, in particular during the scene with the chef. During the chef's "artistic creation" lights of red and blue create an eery vibe on stage along with music, which when paired with food being bashed, thrown, squeezed and flung at the audience member on stage, added to the sheer insanity and ridiculousness of the entire scene. Costumes were simple but effective, a pink and white waiter top with brown pants, changing into white chef's attire when needed, and a red dressing gown style garment, allowed for quick costume changes that still worked for the character being portrayed at the given time.
The plot seems basic; until it isn't. Running a restaurant can't be that hard, right? WRONG! Table for Two? gives audiences twists and turns at any given moment, where nothing is to be expected. A hilarious interactive piece that will leave audiences gasping for air, proving that actions really do speak louder than words. Table for Two? plays as part of Sydney Fringe at The Old 505 Theatre from September 17th - 21st.
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