The cast of 'Clues' (from left): Jerry Benzwick as Neville, Makeda Solomon as Cheryl, Stephanie Hazle as Storm, Rushae Watson as Elizabeth, and Oliver Mair as Patrick. - Contributed
Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter
Food might be the main feature of Restaurant Week, but production company Peculiar People will be offering theatre along with the food when Clues is hosted at The Pantry in New Kingston this month.
Laveda Thompson, writer and producer of the play, explained that dinner theatre is not a new concept, but she has never seen it in Jamaica. While in Cayman, she said she was exposed to dinner theatre and thought it would be perfect for Jamaica.
When the proprietors of The Pantry in New Kingston agreed to come on board, she said she then approached Restaurant Week, as she thought it would be a perfect fit.
"I thought it would be good to get the idea out. Restaurant Week has been around for nine years. In terms of the following, it would bring in a lot of people," Thompson told The Sunday Gleaner.
In an effort to allow her guests to enjoy both the play and the food, she said both will be done at separate times.
The three-course meal will be served between 7 and 9 p.m. and the play will follow immediately after, lasting for approximately an hour.
And, priced at $3,000, Thompson said the dinner theatre experience that will run throughout Restaurant Week (November 8 to 15) is definitely value for money.
"I think the package is priced right. People love a good deal and they love theatre. It is for people who are looking for something different," she said, adding that the menu is very exciting.
As for the play, she said Clues "is a mystery." She said it involves a group of people trying to figure out how they got to a particular location.
Throughout, she said the characters are involved in a series of crimes and they all try to figure out who did what.
But Thompson does not take all the credit for herself as the play was directed by Peter Abrikian, while Scarlett Beharie acts as stage manager.
The cast includes Oliver Mair, Makeda Solomon, Jerry Benzwick, Stephanie Hazle and Rushae Watson.
Based on the fact that she is doing this for the first time, Thompson said a repeat of the dinner theatre concept in the future is completely dependent on how the public responds to it.
"I hope they will be excited about it and see it as value for money and see it as something that is really unique to Restaurant Week, entertaining and not your average night out. I expect people who love food and good entertainment to come out in their numbers," Thompson said.
