What’s better than a fun night at the theatre? How about getting to hang-around backstage after the show?

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of seeing a performance of the very funny ‘Death By Chocolate’ at the Pavilion Theatre in Castle Hill. Directed by Bernard Teuben from the play by Paul Freed, this production felt like it hit all the right notes – so much so that there were a number of moments that felt like they were designed to appeal to me specifically. The witty wordplay, the clever use of some pop-culture sound effects, and the plethora of puns (some knowingly ‘bad’ dad jokes – which I am known to have a fondness for). Of course, it would be silly to believe this, but it certainly increased my enjoyment of the show and must mean that I share a certain sensibility with both the writer and the director.

I’m always in the mood for a whodunit, and I have an undeniable love for a good, old-fashioned farce. The knowingly exaggerated complications and broad performances just tickle my funnybone in the right way. A comedy that winks at the audience and involves them in the joke – and does it successfully – is always a recipe for fun entertainment in my mind, and by those standards ‘Death By Chocolate’ was definitely a success.

What made the evening even more fun for me was being invited to come backstage after the show.

The attention to detail in the set was impressive. The library/office setting allowed for so many little touches that the audience would not even be aware of, but that I’m sure provided a lot of amusement for the cast and crew. My favourite element was that each of the many books on the shelves had either a joke title or an insider reference. As I laughed, I kept thinking to myself “these are my kind of people”. With all the hours it must have taken to construct the set, it’s a nice touch to see the way they kept themselves and each other amused.

After checking out the set I then got to join the post-show festivities in the Green Room. Adorned with memorabilia from the many shows the venue has hosted over the years, the room had a great character and esprit de corps to it. The wine and nibblies went down a treat, and the jubilant mood post-show was fun to partake in.

The cast and crew made me feel very welcome, and it was a great way to wind-down the evening.