The Kitchen

Press photo

Dear fab friends,

Have you ever wondered what it would be like working in a restaurant kitchen? Or perhaps have personally worked in one, in this life or in the past?

Arnold Wesker's 1959 play "The Kitchen" dramatizes life working in the kitchen of a large London restaurant consisting of 30 staff - cooks, porters and waitresses- of various nationalities. It gives us a glimpse of the drudgery of the work, the highly pressurized environment, and the dreams and frustrations of those in it.

National Theatre's revival of this play by Bijan Sheibani offers an inventive take on this kitchen drama. Rather than dwelling on the inherently dull and mechanical nature of work, Sheibani brilliantly breathed a stylised, balletic choreography of the frenzy actions in the kitchen. Actors move rhythmically, or temporarily freeze, to highlight a particular mood or dialogue. In the height of the maddening rumble of the hectic lunch-time rush-hour, the kitchen is magically transformed into a spectacle of dance.

Critics may argue that such display of theatrical artistry overpowers the serious text and message on the indignity of work and its life-sucking nature. But Sheibani gets this message across alright.

Another strength of this production is the compelling performance of the whole ensemble. One that stands out is Tom Brooke, who plays the highly-spirited German cook who falls in love with the English married waitress. Brooke is mesmerizing throughout.

This is a refreshing production of an otherwise serious material. Definitely worth watching.

Yours,

La Dolce Vita


Link to The Kitchen at the National Theatre