Don't Dress For Dinner

It's not often I get out to a play, but on Thursday night I found myself sitting at the Tranzac club on Brunswick giggling as a well-rehearsed cast played out Don't Dress For Dinner. A friend had hooked me into coming along by comparing the play to hilarious seventies British comedy series Fawlty Towers. While the play is set at a French country-house and not an old English hotel, the characters certainly find themselves in Fawlty-esque situations of awkward lies and deceptive cover-ups, all with the hopes of spending a little time indulging in extra-martial affairs.

We learn early on that Bernard, played superbly by John Cleese inspired lead Martin Edmonds, has invited his mistress over for a weekend rendez-vous while the wife is away. Thinking ahead, he has also invited an old friend as an alibi and a chef to prepare their dinner, but everything backfires when his wife decides to stay and entertain. Confusion ensues, and Bernard spins story after story to cover the truth. Eventually, the guests can't keep all the stories straight and much more than expected is revealed.

Take cover from the rain and head to the Tranzac club for one of three performances this weekend: Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 2 or 8PM. Tickets are $18 and the bar is open for those who like a cold one with their comedy.