The line between performers and patrons will be blurred during a dinner-theatre production of “Slow Food” in Surrey this month.
Staged by Royal Canadian Theatre Company, Wendy MacLeod’s comedy is served on the weekend of Jan. 27-28 at Guildford’s Sheraton hotel as a Dine Out Vancouver Festival event.
Written in 2015, “Slow Food” tells the story of a vacationing couple celebrating their anniversary at a Greek restaurant in Palm Springs. As a wacky waiter insinuates his way into their meal and lives, the pair examine their past and their future together. On the playwright’s website (wendymacleod.com), the play is billed as “a tender, uproarious comedy that delves deeply into what we hunger for.”
Crystal Weltzin directs the three actors, Jeffrey Kim (playing Peter), Mark Vandenberg (Stephen) and Amanda Smith-Weston (Irene).
“It’s been so fun getting to know the cast and crew,” Weltzin told the Now-Leader. “They all have amazing ideas and came in, day one, ready to collaborate.”
Running Jan. 17 to Feb. 4, Destination Vancouver’s Dine Out festival features special events and fixed-price menu deals to get people out and into restaurants during a normally slow time of year for such business.
In the Sheraton hotel ballroom in Guildford, two performances of “Slow Food” will involve a three-course buffet meal for $101 per person, or $732 for a table of eight. There’s a dinner show Saturday, Jan. 27, and brunch on Sunday, Jan. 28.
A seating chart showing 27 round tables is posted on rctheatreco.com, along with dinner/brunch menus and ticket details. Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel is located at 15269 104 Ave., Surrey.
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Royal Canadian is also busy prepping several performances of “Cheaters,” staged March 15-17 at Surrey Arts Centre’s Studio Theatre and March 21-24 at Anvil Theatre in New Westminster. Michael Jacobs’ romance-flavoured comedy follows Allen and Michelle, who have been living together for 18 months.
“It is the first real relationship for both of them,” explains a post on the company’s website. “Michelle thinks they should marry; Allen isn’t sure. His hesitancy drives her home to her parents for advice. Michelle’s Father isn’t aware that it is Allen’s mother he has been seeing for the last six months, nor does Michelle’s mother know that it is Allen’s father she has just spent the night with and would like to see more of. The pieces fall uproariously into place when the parents decide to invite the young lovers over dinner to lend their maturity and experience for the benefit of their children’s relationship. It’s suddenly everyone for themselves in this wild, rollicking look at love and romance.”
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Meantime, Royal Canadian’s musical theatre classes start Jan. 24 and run for eight weeks at Clayton Community Centre with instructor Angel Amparo, according to info on the company’s Facebook page.