The Pantry Shelf

The Pantry Shelf is a bright, fun production that gets lots of comedic mileage out of its unique premise: Deep within the pantry on the impulse buy shelf lives talking food products such as wasabi peas, velvet chocolate and Mexican chips who are all desperate to be eaten by their owner, Mandy. They have been with her for a long time so they all know her food fads and where they each stand in the popularity stakes, till a new quinea, date and bark bar finds itself the number one choice when Mandy is having a snack attack.
Written by Mark Pebble and Marion Shortt who have created an amusing world that on the surface is a simple love story between a health bar and dull but reliable porridge but slowly reveals its true satirical colours. Hidden behind the good humour are some fascinating insights into consumerism, the lure of bright new packing, media manipulation and barbed observations about the food industry.
It also has just as much to say about peoples’ shopping habits as the audience in between giggling will be slowly recognising their caffeine addiction, keeping out of date bottles hidden at the back of the shelf and diet fads.
While technically underwhelming, using minimal lighting and a simple static painted set, the show is reliant on the actors in their big and bright costumes to bring the show alive. At this they succeed, bringing infectious enthusiasm and good humour, even if they do rattle through their lines with little regard for comedy timing or consistent accents. They are very watchable, their under polished slap-dash style just adding to the fun.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable, thought provoking play that won’t leave a bad taste in the mouth.

4/5

Martin Miller