FINAL CUT: INTERACTIVE DINING EXPERIENCE
Ffresh Cabaret Bar, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay
Thurs 5 Mar
***
Along with theatre company Yello Brick (known for their innovative theatrical happenings), Wales Millennium Centre present this “interactive dining experience”, essentially a murder mystery evening, in which the audience plays a leading part.
In the glitzy interior of the venue’s Ffresh Cabaret Bar, which is set to have more regular shows like this one from now on, a new B-movie is being made (a vampire horror set in 1980s Romania), which was supposed to be directed by the late Pierce Quinn, whose framed portrait sits on stage, watching over the proceedings. The dinner guests play the extras in a restaurant scene, but as tensions are high among the principal cast (who are dropping off one by one, between each course), it’s clear from the outset that there’s more to Quinn’s death than meets the eye. Blending fringe-style entertainment, live filming and plenty of audience participation into a three-course meal, Final Cut is nothing if not different.
As we’re guided to our seats by a member of the “crew”, we are asked if we have done extra work before. My partner, for some reason, replies, “Yes.” Then her mind goes blank when she’s asked what she’s been in, so I say, “Crimewatch.”
Chatting to our fellow diners around our table (no, you can’t sit on your own, unfortunately), it turns out that a few of them go to these sorts of murder mystery dinners quite a lot. My partner and I are the youngest at the table and have never been before, which immediately rouses the suspicion of one gentleman, who remains convinced that we are plants for the rest of the evening.
Clues and documents are scattered across our tables: cryptic crosswords, articles, funeral programs. The show begins with a screeching YouTuber called Shrieking Violet, a paranormal investigator looking into Quinn’s mysterious death by lingering on the set of what should’ve been his latest film. Suspects include leading lady Harriet Lloyd, the dashing Tom Fox, and the replacement director, all of whom bicker while setting up ludicrous B-movie scenes, in which the audience needs to participate. It’s all very silly, but good fun nonetheless.
Mercifully, starters arrive. My prawn cocktail is… well, a perfectly decent prawn cocktail – a retro, crowd-pleasing if foolproof option. Most diners go for the veggie option: a small mound of garlicky, truffle-scented polenta topped with salt-baked pear. A mysterious envelope of jumbled-up letters is passed around, and soon we’re all rearranging them to reveal all sorts of telling anagrams: MOST EVIL, TOMS EVIL, MS VIOLET, and so on… The highlight of the evening is undoubtedly a hilarious lip sync performance of Madonna’s Like A Prayer, accompanied by members of the audience dressed as nuns.
For mains, most of us (including myself) opt for the 12-hour braised beef brisket, which is pleasingly tender and falling apart, served with curly kale, rosti-like potato, moreish carrot puree, and (in my case) a generous amount of gravy. My partner’s veggie option – cauliflower steak with spiced bulgur wheat and parsley – arrives cold and tastes strongly of artificial curry sauce.
As more deaths ensue, the by now well-lubricated audience begin calling out suggestions: “It’s yew, love”, “He dunnit!”, “He’s ya brother, mun”. These interjections are not handled by the cast as deftly as some improvisers would, but perhaps this was first-night nerves. The strawberry gateau dessert is, by far, the strongest dish of the evening, its tartness offset by moist sponge and sweet cream. The tropical-tasting mango delice is not eaten with as much enthusiasm, mainly because of the strangely muddy flavour of the chocolate soil.
While the audience often give better performances than the actors, and some of the jokes die harder than the victims, this is certainly a unique night out that relies on our eager participation for its funniest moments. If you’re planning to brave this evening of death and dinner yourself, best to go with that in mind.
words SAM PRYCE
Final Cut: Interactive Dining Experience is at the Wales Millennium Centre until Sat 7 Mar, then returns between Wed 14 and Sat 17 October. For tickets and info, click here.
