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Chef: Come Dine With Us!

 
Richard Beck Review by Richard Beck 5 Published: 20 Aug 2016 Assembly George Square Theatre Show Dates: 4 Aug 2016-29 Aug 2016

Chef: Come Dine With Us! should not in a way be confused with the TV series Come Dine With Me. Each of the characters in this show is so much larger than life that not one of them would fit around your table. In any case, preparing dinner is just the pretext for a scrumptious extravaganza fit for all the family.

A question of who can pull off the most stunning part of a show that is packed with amazingly ambitious acts

On the menu there is something to suit everyone’s taste, as revealed by the almost full house of children, parents and grandparents. The show is warmed up by Green Chef checking on where people are from and eying up potential participants. Enter Red Chef in Italian guise and sounding like the three tenors rolled into one as they both reveal their considerable vocal talents in the show’s opening numbers. Now it’s a question of ready, steady, cook as the competition commences between them. What follows is actually more a question of who can pull off the most stunning part of a show that is packed with amazingly ambitious acts.

There is a kaleidoscope of colour in the kitchen thanks to exuberant costumes and a lighting plot that is entertainment in itself. Then suddenly, amongst all the brilliance and flashing, on goes the ultra-violet for an enchantingly comic sequence of underwater mime. Music accompanies the whole show and sound effects recur throughout the hour. The most impressive have to be from the two assistants whose vast array of beatboxing sounds is sensationally synchronised with the movements of the cast. They also have their own set piece which turns the skill into an amazing art form. The four assistants chefs keep the comic action rolling, endlessly pulling ingeniously amusing ingredients out of the bag.

This South Korean crew possesses energy and talent in abundance. Seemingly, no performance skill is beyond them. Breathless breakdancing and astounding acrobatic displays delight within a canteen of choreography. But it is the overall tightness, split-second timing and coordination of the show that startles. Nothing is left to chance: like everything else, even the pans are polished to perfection.

If this is your sort of entertainment you will not go home hungry. Chef: Come Dine With Us! is a culinary cornucopia of entertainment that guarantees to please every palate and satisfy every appetite. You might even be so enamoured of it that you go back for a second helping.

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The Blurb:

Perfect satisfaction for all theatre-loving foodies! Two chefs compete with each other to serve you a host of dishes for the eyes. Come and see the ultimate cooking show combined with jaw-dropping beatboxing and B-boying. Talented acrobatic performers with an excellent sense of humour will keep you falling off your chair. Following the smash hits Cookin' and Jump, the original members come back to Edinburgh with a newly revised cooking show. 'Pure visual delights!' ***** (Evening News). 'Full 60 minutes highlights' (Scotsman). 'Fabulous physical fun'(List). 'Everyone wants to get their hands on it' (EdinburghSpotlight.com).