Supper

"Binaural," meaning for both ears, is the word used by The Puppet Lab to describe their show, Supper. On arrival, the audience is asked to don a pair of earphones and to observe a small dinner-party. The audience sits casually on sofas and benches, whilst four volunteer performers consume fondue and make small-talk. Through the earphones comes a monologue that is meant to represent the inner-thoughts of one member the dinner party. Thus the audience become mind readers.

The monologue that I was given to listen to was a female voice, dulcet in tone and Scottish in accent; a voice entirely different to any of the characters whom I could hear over and above what was coming through my earphones. This fractiousness was accentuated by there being no correlation between the actions of the performers and the words being heard; whilst the voice coming through my earphones softly pondered a secret pregnancy, both of the women in front of me were blithely giggling.

It must be said that if listened to in isolation the monologues that make up Supper are beautifully written, indeed, many of the audience spent the performance with their eyes shut. It is also fascinating that the concept behind Supper comes from The Puppet Lab, the implication being that the dinner-party guests become puppets and the audience are puppeteers of their own dramatic experience. However, in practice, this show feels tech-heavy and unconvincing, and at £7.50 a ticket for what is essentially a forty minute radio play, I think you may feel a little cheated.