The Dinner Party

Description

In their chic designer loft, Taylor and Jamie are preparing for their inaugural dinner party. Taylor is kneading the dough for the vegan brioche, inadvertently cutting themselves and bleeding into the mixture, but it’s too late to start a new one. Jamie meticulously arranges an abundance of Waitrose wine bottles on the dining table. When Jamie notices the excess of plastic packaging, they express their dismay. A defensive Taylor deflects the conversation by criticising Jamie for not following through on their promise to volunteer at the shelter, and Jamie retorts by mocking Taylor for not starting on their novel. Emotions escalate, knives are brandished, but the doorbell interrupts their quarrel. Jamie opens the door - in the background, we vaguely see the city in smoke, but Jamie greets the guests - Drew and Morgan. Tension rises, as Morgan\'s lingering gaze on Jamie doesn\'t go unnoticed by Drew, but Taylor shouts, “dinner’s ready”.Taylor serves the starter (a deconstructed garden salad, with more of the vegetable left on the kitchen-counter than on the plate), and they all agree they have to do something about the political situation, but for the evening, they will steer clear of politics. Morgan is cold, and Jamie brings everybody jackets, as sirens wail outside. Feeling famished, they devour the food like animals, leaving a chaotic trail of destruction, while discussions shift to charity donations (“we must remember to do that”) and financial struggles (“I earn so much, yet always broke”). Jamie brings more coats and hats to the shivering guests, but a blood-curdling scream from outside startles Taylor, causing them to drop a large tub of homemade hummus and falafel, and the group, too hungry to waste, binges from the floor, while discussing the latest episode of Bake Off. When Jamie sees the wasted leftover vegetables in the kitchen, their frustration peaks and they throw it at Taylor, who gobbles it. Taylor’s indifference upsets Jamie, who runs to the bedroom, followed by a consoling Morgan. With Taylor engrossed in their feast, Drew takes the opportunity and disappears to the kitchen, where they spot the brioche dough.Taylor is yanked out of their food trance when a big bang causes the walls to crack and uncooked dough floods the living room. A terrified Taylor runs to the bedroom, catching Jamie and Morgan fornicating through sixteen layers of clothes. Cuckolded, Taylor goes to the kitchen and finds Drew defiling the brioche dough. Alone and scared, Taylor hides in the destroyed living room, surrounded by left-over plastic, empty wine bottles and food. Bombs and gun-shots can now be heard from outside, but amidst the backdrop of external turmoil, Taylor seeks solace in watching Bake Off, while vaguely hearing Morgan and Drew leave in disgrace. A shameful Jamie enters the living room and sits next to Taylor. Jamie puts their hand on Taylor’s hand, and they both watch Bake Off, in silent contemplation. Without looking at Jamie, Taylor says they’re going to start writing their novel… tomorrow.

Biblical Connection

Haggai chapter 1 tells of a people handed a golden opportunity to return from exile, rebuild their sacred temple and shape their destiny. The stage was set for greatness, yet they lounged in their comfort, dreaming big but acting small. To me, this felt like a direct mirror to our modern world - which is literally burning as we argue over “Bake Off”. I took the image of people living in their panelled houses, while the house (in the biblical sense, the temple, but in my interpretation - the world) is falling apart. In verses 4-6, Haggai reprimands the people for being constantly unsatisfied, always complaining but in essence, doing nothing, and tries to encourage them to see the bigger picture… His words cut deep, his message echoes through time, urging us to wake up. In my creative journey, I wove Haggai\'s vivid imagery into a tapestry of urgency (eating but always hungry, clothed but always cold, working but always broke). The surreal elements heighten the urgency of our reality. We all yearn to make a difference, to stand for justice and do the right thing, but something always distracts us and we never get around to it.