A Place at the Table

Synopsis

Adam's written a hit play and television has sat up and taken notice. Sarah's the struggling script editor who believes her audacious proposal will make Adam's reputation, save her career and maybe even make a little bit of history. But what happens when ambition comes up against a disabling fear of failure and the reality of the dog eat dog TV industry? What will it cost to secure a place at the table?

Our Review:

5 March 2012

Apparently a hit for the Bush theatre back in 2000, A Place at the Table is BAFTA-nominated Simon Block’s biting satire on the TV industry. This revival is presented by Signal Theatre Company under the direction of Robert Wolstenholme.

The themes Block obviously wishes to highlight are immediately apparent. All of the action takes place in the soulless meeting room of a TV production house. Young, disabled playwright, Adam, has written a ‘lethally good’ script and impressed readers with writing that is ‘vehement and compassionate’. However, from the first minute it is his wheelchair rather than his artistic prowess that is the focus as not one person he interacts with manages to see past his disability.

Whilst Sarah, the nicotine-dependent (what a cliché!) script editor Adam has come to meet, possibly appreciates his talent, her motivation is to make a name for herself in a shallow and revenue-driven arena. The battle ...

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Latest User Review

Velma - 5 March 2012:

I think 2 stars is a bit harsh. If this were on at a different venue, I think it'd be given 3 stars - even though the theatre itself is actually perfect for the perky and professional set. Yes, maybe it'd go down better amongst industry bods - it is a tad erudite and perhaps even the writer's rant about his own experiences - but I think it's a pretty decent attempt nonetheless. Kellie Batchelor certainly pulls off the script editor role and Christopher Tester - though needing to lighten up at times - is a very watchable actor and I enjoyed their performances in particular, regardless of the jargon in the script. Tbh, I didn't really notice the swear words... unlike in the Bush's Snookered, where one actor seemed to be calling everyone a **nt every 3 lines... I've been to the theatre 4 times this week and on 3 occasions, I sat with my head in my hands desperate to get out. With A Place at the Table, I didn't see theatre that tried to be life-changing, but I left feeling I'd gotten my money's worth and seen some tidy acting. And, personally, I'd give it 3 stars....

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