We take a look at what is being said about Douglas Lyons’s play starring Marisha Wallace and Jamael Westman.
Broadway World: “Jada and Dallas’ conversations at dinner reveal sensitive observations from Lyons on how exes interact with each other, especially when there’s clearly still love there. But he’s far too quick to follow these up with a crude joke, or a sidelong glance to the audience. The mask is never lifted, and we never get a full sense of who these people are and why they fell in love; flashbacks depicting Jada and Dallas’ past jump straight from their first meeting in a bar to their engagement two years later.”
The Guardian: “There are plenty of cheeky theatrical touches as Wallace and Westman make lightning-quick work of returning to the past and changing costumes, as well as giving soul-baring asides to us, in the middle of an emotionally dissembling scene. Michael Rishawn, who takes on several ancillary parts, almost steals the show with his gay restaurant host, who has a backstory of unwelcome singledom that you want to hear more about – maybe more so than the break-up-make-up drama of the couple.”
London Theatre.co.uk: “Luckily, the cast has enough gusto to charge through the text’s cheesier moments, and the purely emotive appeal of the production cannot be denied. If London is twice blest, Rishawn will follow his American compatriot Wallace’s lead and set up shop in the capital – his timing is something to behold. (“I work here; I don’t eat here,” snaps River, the restaurant employee, to riotous effect.)”
WhatsOnStage: “Still, Table 17 is a play powered by ideas, performance and theatricality. Marisha Wallace and Jamael Westman are also superb as Jada and Dallas, respectively, the lighting is gorgeous and the staging is inventive. Most importantly, it makes a very small theatre feel considerably larger – and brings the audience right into the action.”
Time Out: “Table 17 is certainly a romcom (emphasis on the ‘com’), but one that refuses to coddle its audience with a dishonest happy ending. Jada and Dallas are raw and real; by the time the play’s conclusion rolls around after endless twists and turns and misdirects, it’s hard to come to anyone’s defence, entirely. You might not approve of the character’s actions, but after experiencing a piece of theatre as heartfelt, hilarious, and honestly, challenging, as Table 17, you’ll be grateful they got that drink. For our sake, if not theirs.”
All That Dazzles: “Table 17 is tied together beautifully through brilliant direction from Zhailon Levingston. At a pacey ninety minutes, the action never stops and never runs the risk of being anything other than thrilling throughout.”
The Reviews Hub: “What Lyons captures very well is that good people make mistakes. Love is often confusing, and without communication, needs are missed. Misunderstandings and hurt happen. Is love all we need? Can love fix everything? How do we forgive and allow ourselves to be vulnerable again? These questions are served up and savoured, yet it does not feel enough, and we are left a little hungry for more.”
Everything Theatre: “Table 17 knows how to get the best from its performers and creatives. Its success ultimately rests on whether the audience is willing to meet it on its own terms – embrace the theatricality, join in with the jokes and accept a love story whose emotional depth doesn’t always match its considerable charm.”
The Stage: “Attractive, lightweight US romcom is smart and entertaining.”
London Theatre 1: “A refreshingly light-hearted and surprisingly engaging production.”
West End Best Friend: “Table 17 may not offer any new observations about modern relationships, but it packages familiar truths with warmth, humour and considerable charm. If you’ve ever found yourself fascinated by somebody else’s romantic train wreck, this smart and engaging production is well worth booking a table for.”
Theatre Weekly: “Nonetheless, this is a brilliant production that boasts an incredible cast and electric performances under the guidance of Lyons’ mind and Zhailon Levingston’s direction. If you’re looking for a comedy of sorts, don’t miss Table 17 at The Kiln.”
To book tickets visit: https://kilntheatre.com/whats-on/table-17/