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Reviews

18 Sep 2019

A work to open your mind and take you outside your comfort zone!

This is not your average dinner and a show. In fact, you won't even see the friends you planned on spending the evening with, and you'll likely wish you hadn't driven, so you can down more of the free-flowing champagne. On arrival, my boyfriend is told to remove...

This is not your average dinner and a show.

In fact, you won’t even see the friends you planned on spending the evening with, and you’ll likely wish you hadn’t driven, so you can down more of the free-flowing champagne.

On arrival, my boyfriend is told to remove his suit coat – “you should take that off, for freedom of movement,” – the volunteer explains.

I’m immediately met with a look of concern and displeasure for promising a simple dinner together, and I already know we’re in for an interesting night, which we won’t get to spend together.

I love chatting to strangers, so for me, I really enjoyed hearing the stories of those seated beside me over a shared meal (which I might I add was delicious, even if the baba ganoush to bread ratio was off.)

I’d already learned both of their life stories before we were encouraged to start chatting.

What I don’t love, however, is sitting around a table to discuss the work we had just seen like a group of children in a classroom.

Nestled between two professional dancers, was me, who was strongly encouraged by my parents to drop ballet lessons at age 7 and take up something ‘more suited to me’ like contact sports.

While those on the table discussed the energy and the essence of the work, I sat there wondering how much longer I could endure the conversation while tossing up if two toilet breaks was two too many.

I glanced over at the table next to me, where my boyfriend – whom I’d promised a night nothing like this one – was evidently sharing similar sentiments.

It’s only in the next phase of the evening that I began to feel really sorry for him, as we are encouraged to learn a dance from the performers.

Needless to say, he kept his suit coat on.

We end the night letting go of our inhibitions and freely-moving to some house music, which I am much more well-versed in doing.

Sans pretentious arty chat and forced choreographed dancing – this was a generally good night, best served with 3+ wines and an open mind.

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Summary

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Communal Table

18-21 Sep 2019

The Joinery, West End

Join eight extraordinary performers and 88 guests over a three-course meal in an evening for the adventurous and the curious. This world premiere from Dancenorth sets out to illuminate the most basic of human desires through the sharing of four fundamental ingredients – food, wine, conversation and dancing.

Suitable for audiences 18+ years