Table 17, at Kiln Theatre, review: a charming romcom with real chemistry

Douglas Lyons' romantic comedy Table 17 has arrived in London following a string of sold-out runs in New York and Los Angeles, and it is easy to see why the production has travelled so well. The play slips down as easily as an old-school Saturday-night television meet-cute, delivered with genuine warmth and comic energy.

The story centres on Jada, an air steward played by Marisha Wallace, and Dallas, an aspiring music producer played by Jamael Westman — a couple whose relationship ended in betrayal several years earlier. The pair reconvene at the title's table 17 to work through unresolved feelings, with the possibility that old sparks might reignite.

A meet-again-cute

Rather than a conventional meet-cute, Lyons frames the story as a meet-again-cute, built around two exes navigating the awkwardness and lingering attraction of unfinished business. The dynamic between Wallace and Westman anchors the production, with both performers bringing sharp comic timing and emotional nuance to their roles.

Table 17 is running at the Kiln Theatre in London until 24 October, giving audiences a limited window to catch a production that has already proven its appeal with audiences on both coasts of the United States.