One dinner party, one man in a chair, one book about ducks, one pair of handcuffs, and one pair of pants left around the victims ankles.
Who left the victim in such a state? The suspects – the best friend, the sister, and the lover of the victim – are being interrogated by investigators … and they’re not all recalling the night the same way. It’s up to Sergeant Melpo and Officer Thalia to figure out the truth amongst the lies, and bring the killer to justice. As long as Officer Thalia can stay focused on the case, that is.
Trigger Warnings: Under the Table has mild nudity; references and conversations relating to death and health concerns; sexual references; mature language; and the perfect amount of immature language.
There’s something to be said for a simple set. There was nothing misleading or confusing about the set or its layout, plus the interactions, flow on effect from room to room, and the use of every prop on stage was expertly carried out. Every centimetre of the set has been considered, and used for the full effect of each characters storyline. The props themselves were minimal, but each of them aided in the unravelling of the mystery, and felt well-suited for the setting. This extends to the costumes – every costume brought the character to life, was well-fitted to the performer, and (this reviewer suspects) provided some subtle clues to who the killer is, which you may not even realise until the big reveal.
As an added layer, the shows director, Alana, composed an original soundtrack for Under the Table! The music blended into the performance seamlessly, never overpowering the performance or the performers, but setting the scene as needed, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats as the mystery unfolded before us. The quality of sound was well balanced, never sounding grainy nor too quiet, with a healthy amount being added so to bolster the performance and not overwhelm it.
The only downside to the performance was the lighting and sound team being as close to the audience as they were – with their station being a part of the last few rows their conversations and movements occasionally carried to the audience. But they did an amazing job with their cues, never missing a beat and keeping everything running smoothly. Most impressive would be the timing of the door knocking – keep your eyes peeled for the accuracy between sound and actor!
With amusing one liners you’ll find yourself wanting to share with your friends, terrific delivery and on stage chemistry, Under the Table is well worth the viewing.
To book tickets to Under the Table, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1593214.
