Monday, March 11, 2019
Dining on a Broadway Stage - Foodwork Offers Unique Views of “Network” Starring Bryan Cranston
Theme Park University: There is something surreal about eating steak while sitting three feet away from Bryan Cranston giving a gut-wrenching monologue on a Broadway stage. Yet, that’s the experience I had recently as a part of Foodwork, a unique dining experience on the stage of the Belasco Theater during Network starring Bryan Cranston.
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4 comments:
I assumed this theatrical experience would share many qualities with the traditional “dinner theatre” but found that the experience differed because it is so immersive. I have experienced true dinner theatre once, at a small playhouse in Florida. I found it to be distracting to be eating a meal while watching a production, especially food that is more elaborate than the typical movie theatre snack. It was more difficult to lose myself in the performance because I kept looking down at my plate. I anticipate that this Broadway production is more successful because many of the details have been thought through. The fact that the audience can arrive to the house an hour early is an excellent idea because it allows them to take in the space and get properly settled before dining. It is also smart that the menu is preset, as opposed to choosing from options in the moment. While I was not the biggest advocate for the dinner theatre experience, my parents were very satisfied and found it to be an excellent option. I am interested to see how this idea develops, and if more people enjoy the “new” experience.
I am not sure I completely understand why this piece of theater needed to be performed while the audience is eating a dinner. I think the concept of being served dinner while watching a show is very intriguing but I think the company has to be careful about how it is executed. While I definitely would not object to be served such an elaborate meal, I think the experience might detract from the performance. As the article says, at the end, I would imagine the audience would feel self-conscious about eating in front of these actors and about making distracting and disruptive noises. Even though I am sure the actors are aware that people are eating and are expecting to hear noises from that, I don’t think that would stop an audience member from feeling awkward about the whole thing. I also think that, because the meal is so fancy, it might be a little distracting for the audience who might be more entertained by the meal being served than by the action on stage.
I have never been to a theater where dinner is served and after reading this article and the comments, I do not think that I would want to be part of such an experience if not only for just the dinner.
I feel like this article hits the right point in how distracting eating food would be while someone is performing on stage, not to mention I feel like it would be low-key disrespectful also to the performers. But that is a point, I believe, is thought of by the producers and the designers of the show and hopefully is consulted with the actors before the opening of the show. But on a personal level, it still seems low-key disrespectful.
The other part of this scenario is the distraction that is caused. I do not think that I can enjoy and immerse myself completely in a performance if one part of my mind is busy eating food and figuring out if I like it or not.
But this is my personal view. I believe that if this is a common practice, it would have received favorable views from various audiences.
I think a lot of theatre is going in this direction of semi- to fully immersive, and it’s interesting to see how different companies are going about it. I’ve heard about “Network” and its voyeuristic, transparent nature, but this VIP treatment takes it to another level by welcoming its guests to warm-up and preshow. I don’t know that it sounds like the dinner necessarily elevates or heightens the feelings evoked through the play itself, but it sounds like a fun concept well done. It sounded like the actors and rest of the company were comfortable with the early arriving guests, the menu was thoughtfully conceived of and well executed, and the overall guest experience was unforgettable. Does eating while the main character unravels onstage minimize how seriously we take his anguish by turning it into a casual spectator sport, or do we empathize more deeply due to the proximity to the stage? I would absolutely be interested in experiencing a show with dinner to see how that component would affect my interaction with the piece, especially with a show such as “Network.”
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