Like a bit of dish with your dish? There’s no shortage of it at restaurant Barlume Downstairs, a trendy spot near Union Square that is currently home to Pop Up Dinner Theater.
Four short plays comprise the evening, each with brief intervals where diners are treated to a 4-course meal. Guests begin at the swanky bar to linger and mingle with one another while blue crab toast, sopressata skewers, and grilled halloumi appetizers are passed.
Soon, we’re introduced to Frank (Mateo d’Amato), a handsome waiter who serves as a cosmic, philosophical emcee. He appears throughout the night, each time asking probing existential questions of himself and his guests.
After his brief monologue, the first short play unfolds-one that has guests watching and hearing the aftermath of a business deal on bull insemination. Michael Sharp’s piece is a brave topic to broach over food, but fortunately it avoids becoming too graphic.
The best piece of the evening, Peekos at Barlume, written by Sandi Farkas comes next. It involves a son discussing his inheritance with his salty, boozy and bitter mother who is divorced from her husband.
The final two pieces, Fine Dining by Eduardo Machado and See the Forest by Michael Domitrovich deal with awkward relationships and ex-lovers.
Each short work is enjoyable enough and the experience is further enhanced with generous portions of Mediterranean cuisine. The evening lasts about 2.5 hours.
d’Amato serves as a co-founder and Managing Director of Suite 524, the non-profit organization which has spearheaded the immersive event. One of the group’s missions is “to create spaces that preserve the sacred relationship between theater makers and audiences.” With Pop Up Dinner Theater, they’ve succeeded and are offering theatergoers used to traditional theater productions a chance to witness something special and unique.
Pop Up Dinner Theater plays at Barlume Downstairs 900 Broadway in NYC with two performances each Sunday evenings Nov. 16 and 23, 2025 . For tickets and information, click here.