Reviews on The Review

The Lowry restaurant overlooking Salford Quays is completely packed. An attractive young waitress whose nametag reads ‘Rachel’ seats me at a table with eight strangers. The small talk commences – everyone is excited about this experimental play, one of six to be selected for the Library Theatre Company’s Re:Play Festival which features the best of Manchester’s fringe theatre from the past twelve months. We wonder out loud if the show will start soon, or if it has started already. Then, Rachel the waitress misses her step and falls headlong. The small talk stops and the restaurant falls silent.

What follows is the first of Rachel’s (Frances Paterson) songs about the life of a waitress, accompanied by the violinist, double bassist and keyboardist who are dotted around the restaurant. Her voice is pitch perfect as she waltzes between the tables, nodding and smiling at everyone. Then, just as quickly as her song started, she resumes her role as a waitress and helps deliver the pre-ordered food: pork loin with red cabbage and fondant potato for the meat eaters, sautéed gnocchi with butternut squash and sage cream for the veggies (I managed to sample both – five stars each).

A few forkfuls into the meal, the keyboardist startles everyone with a jerky sequence of chords. Two patrons at the table behind me begin to sing. It seems that the young Danny (Adam Bowler) and Clare (Elizabeth East) are finding their teenage date a little awkward, their song full of unfinished sentences and uncomfortable silences. We eavesdrop next on Fiona (Aida Fatemi) and Ben (Paul O’Neill) who are seated at the far end of the restaurant, singing another duet about how hard it is to find ‘Mr Right’ nowadays. Afterwards, Rachel returns for another solo performance, establishing the pattern for the rest of the night: sung conversations between diners, with the friendly waitress acting as the link between performances.

Though difficult to catch every word at times, the songs were witty, had catchy melodies, and were largely well delivered by both singers and musicians. The restaurant setting felt authentic, along with the costumes and the first class food service. Where ‘Indigestion’ really excelled was its atmosphere of constant suspense. Imagine my surprise when a fellow reviewer at my table burst into song about his split life as confused poet and cruel food critic. After his moment, Tony (Samuel Lea) sat back down at the press table and continued to poke drily at his food.

Chatting to some punters afterwards, comments focused on the production’s ‘unique’ and ‘engaging’ presentation, as well as the actors’ ability to mask themselves as the audience. The only negative comment was from a lady who ‘didn’t really know what message they were trying to get across.’ It is true that no overriding mantra emerged, but for me the production seemed to do more than offer a message: it forced its audience members into an awareness of each other. When strangers at your table suddenly burst into song about their private lives, you realise that everybody has an inner monologue running and a story to tell, just like you.

If you think you’ve got the stomach for a night of social suspense, stunning musical performances and some fantastic food, then start praying to the theatre gods that ‘Indigestion’ will be showing again soon.

Indigestion is a part of the 2012 Re:Play Festival by the Library Theatre Company. http://www.librarytheatre.com/event/indigestion