It has been described as a "one man explosion" and Gaetan Schmid does not fail to deliver. He masterfully slips into the shoes of just about every character you would expect to find at a proper French restaurant - from the meticulous and effeminate Patissiere Chef, the bumbling Sous Chef and the gruff butcher/bull fighter (my personal favourite) to the floorstaff consisting of the showy Jacques as barman and the coquettish Jacqueline as waitress.
We walked in not knowing what to expect (the whole show is in French after all), but Gaetan is an expert at what he does, managing to convey meaning to a non-French audience and conjuring up backgrounds and props where there is none.
The show is preceded by a cleverly presented explanation of the terms you would likely encounter on a French menu and Gaetan will teach you how to make even "hamburger" sound sophisticated (the secret is in the pursed lips apparently).
The sound effects are used masterfully and I could almost see the bustling kitchen and restaurant before me. It is set to a backdrop of typically French dining music, interspersed with a short burst of kung fu fighting and a fabulous kitchen montage set to Eye of the Tiger. I was bobbing my head along at that point and couldn't help but feel disappointed when the show was over.
Rumpsteak is without a doubt a must-see for any foodie worth their salt and I will be keeping a close eye on Gaetan's career for more theatrical masterpieces to come.
Rumpsteak will run from Tuesday 11 May to Saturday 29 May, at 8pm every evening at the Intimate Theatre on Orange Street, Cape Town CBD. Bookings can be made by calling 072 367 6878, or emailing thepinkcouch@gmail.com. They will be partnering with Societi Bistro and offering (amongst other things) 15% discount on your meal upon presentation of a show ticket. Be sure to try Societi's mushroom risotto - it is out of this world.
For more information, visit The Pink Couch.
Full disclosure: I received complementary tickets to the performance as well drinks and canapés at Societi Bistro courtesy of The Pink Couch. I was however under no obligation to post a favourable review on my blog.
3 comments:
This sounds like such a fun show!
Hey Marisa - I see they got their money's worth out of us in terms of publicity for Rumpsteak! It really was good though, wasn't it?
Thanks for sharing about soet and patat – those early memories are so powerful.
Bon weekend!
Robyn
Joanne - It really was! You would've enjoyed it I think.
Robyn - Definitely yes - all the publicity well-deserved though! Lovely weekend to you too. :-)
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