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18%
by Charles Berg
Directed by Jason Ewers
Produced by EP Theater, Vivo Restaurant & Birra Peroni
At Vivo’s Restaurant
838 W. Randolph
Chicago, IL
Call 312-733-3379, tickets $60 (includes the play and the four course meal but not alcohol)
Sundays at 7 PM
Open run
18% is a gourmet’s delight but light on theatrical chops
The concept is ambitious and demands supreme organization where the devil is in the details. Presenting a play in a restaurant while serving a four course meal could become a worthy event.
However, EP Theater’s concept became a marathon event that had patrons arriving at 6:30 for cocktails with the play beginning at 7 PM (or there about) just after the Antipasto. The play’s first act takes an hour and the second course of Rigatoni & Ravoli is served at intermission (around 8:10). Dinner is served once the play ends (around 9:25) with the dessert arriving around 9:55). Please note that dinner takes three hours so don’t arrive hungry as I did.
The play is a soap opera style show that has an ongoing storyline about the young owner of a fine dinning Italian restaurant (what else?) where his waiters and barmaid are characters that live typical 20something lives where sex and alcohol dominant. Frank Scarpello (Stephan Montague) is the owner/manager with a vicious temper despite a persona of charm. He hires his hippie black-sheep brother as a dish washer against his better judgment.
The play utilizes the restaurant’s bar as a set and is billed as a ‘hilarious comedy.’ Few laughed. The only cute parts were the introducing narratives featuring Julian Martinez’s Arthur and Christian Litke’s Rodger that played out in a vaudevillian farcical style. The main storyline is who wants to have sex with whom in a Real World motif. The story wonders about without any dramatic resolution. It plays like a speaking dialogue from actual restaurant personal. Few laughs are found here.
The audience consisted of groups of 4-6 who seem to enjoy the long delays by consuming much wine and many Peroni beers. Remember, alcohol isn’t included in the $60 dinner & play package. To me, a non-drinker and alone, the evening became long as I waiter almost three hours before eating the tasty steak. I’d advise that the producers find a way of getting the food out quicker. It took almost a half hour after the play ended to serve the main course.
The play is pedestrian and instantly forgettable yet the meal is delicious fare but a tad pricey at $60 for the meal and the play without alcohol and it takes much too long to get each serving. I guess this event is for groups who want to spend time together drinking, eating and socializing with a play thrown in. For me, I’m used to having dinner first then enjoying a cute play. This event took much too long as I couldn’t wait until the play ended so I could eat. Few plays are worth sitting through when you’re hungry.
Somewhat Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2006
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