We’ve been to a few of these ever popular dinner shows at The Grand Opera House, so when we saw that Ted & Co The Dinner Show was coming, we were there! Straight out of a 26 date tour of Ireland, this dinner show with a hilarious Father Ted theme has got a lot of people talking.
As we wait in the bar to be let in, we are offered a glass of wine each while Ted and Mrs. Doyle (who is furiously offering everyone tea) do the rounds. We then go into The Baby Grand Studio, and are greeted with “So you’re here for the wake?” from an organ playing man who bears a striking resemblance to Dougal. It’s a good five minutes before I notice the scruffy looking man (Father Jack) lying on a table supposedly dead – this is going to be an interesting night!
We’re served our starter of vegetable soup while Ted reads out a ‘lovely’ poem for Father Jack, then all of a sudden Jack is up on his feet and back to his usual self. The characters go around the tables talking to us, and making fun, culminating in Mrs. Doyle breaking into song, modifying My Heart Will Go On from Titanic into a brew inspired tune, while Jack and Ted row around the floor on a chair – it’s so silly, but so funny.
As our main course of turkey and ham is served, they leave for a while to let us “enjoy our dinner in peace”, not before making some jokes about the ‘great breasts’ we’re be
ing served. The christmas dinner is phenomenal, the whole hog (or turkey, to be exact). It’s definitely one of the best christmas dinners that I’ve had out – ever. As we finish up our meal, the gang join us again and Mrs. Doyle sells us some raffle tickets for ‘a big red car’, while a couple of people are nominated to play Mr & Mrs – it’s short, sweet, and funny. The whole night ends in a massive Irish dance complete with members of the audience dancing around the tables.
Jack is the real star of the evening entertainment wise – he’s nothing like his character on the show – but he’s non-stop, harassing the audience, singing, dancing, ripping his dogs collar off and much much more. Dougal is spot on though, his face, the way he talks, everything is exactly how it should be, yet Mrs. Doyle and Ted aren’t really like their characters at all (aside from the tea thing). Over all, this is a great, very funny night out. However, if you are going to this in the hopes of a Father Ted night with all the jokes and things you know from the show, you’d probably be a bit disappointed.
