An actress in the latest show at Norwich's Maddermarket Theatre will quite literally be cooking up a dramatic treat for audiences.
For as the show Skylight is played out at the city venue, actress Elle Watson will be preparing an actual meal of spaghetti and a rich tomato sauce live on stage.
Set in a council flat in the mid 1990s, the show puts the spotlight on Miss Watson's character, Kyra, who receives an unexpected visit from her former lover, restauranteur Tom played by Phillip Rowe.
It explores whether their past love be brought to life again under different circumstances, and whether they can they reconcile their passions and politics.
Playwright David Hare makes references to Kyra cooking in the stage directions, and to make this latest production as true to life as possible, designer Paul Stimpson has created a set complete with a working kitchen including a sink with running water and a stove.
Director Pip Sessions said: 'The cooking matches the argument that is going on, in terms of building the heat on stage during the first act. It's symbolic, you have got the steam and the cooking going on in the background...and the aroma of the garlic and chilli does add that extra sensory experience. I'd advise the audience to eat beforehand!'
She said the cast had worked on incorporating cooking into the show from the very start of rehearsals.
'We cooked right from the beginning because it needed to be timed and work with the dialogue. We started from day one chopping onions.'
About the show as a whole, she said: 'It is a tragic relationship drama about two people who are an unlikely couple but on some profound level are well matched...It certainly mixes the personal and the political. With David Hare the politics are always there as a backdrop and characters often speak political points of view, but I think in this play the politics of the heart are as important.'
The show has a cast of three, with Ezra Holmes Gentle playing Tom's son Edward.
Skylight opens at the Maddermarket Theatre tomorrow night and runs until February 25. Tickets £8-12. The theatre is offering two tickets for the price of one for people who quote the code 'spaghettifor2.' To book, visit www.maddermarket.co.uk or call 01603 620917.
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