The notices are in for Table 17, Douglas Lyons’ UK premiere at the Kiln Theatre, in which two exes meet over dinner two years after their engagement collapsed and talk their way back through the wreckage. Marisha Wallace takes her first straight-play role in London opposite Jamael Westman, with Michael Rishawn — the one holdover from the American productions — playing three parts around them, and Zhailon Levingston directing as he did in New York. The critics part company over the writing and agree almost to a word on the company: the ratings run from five stars to two and a half, the reservations gather around the play’s panto-style audience participation and the thinness of its psychology, and almost every notice singles out Rishawn as the one who comes close to stealing it.
The verdict: twenty reviews in so far — three five-star notices, eight four-star, six three-star and one at two and a half, giving an average of 3.8 out of 5 across the eighteen that carry a score, with two outlets publishing no rating at all. Every rated outlet admires the cast and Amy Jane Cook’s revolving neon booth; where they split is on whether Lyons’ script earns the emotion it reaches for, and on how much of the audience’s own chatter the evening can carry.
What are critics saying about Table 17?
theartsdesk
"Warm, witty and wonderful comedy"
Reviewer: Gary Naylor
"Light comedy just must be harder to write and to play - else more people would do it. These three actors time every putdown, every revelation, every physical response with precision, in dialogue often charged with emotion, but producing more laughter in 95 minutes than I have heard in the previous 95 days. I’m not sure what changes Zhailon Levingston, directing here as he did in New York, has made, but he conjures sensational comedy from his cast and we love them for it."
All That Dazzles
"The UK premiere of this tale about ex-lovers reuniting has a big future ahead of it"
Reviewer: Daz Gale
"Table 17 is tied together beautifully through brilliant direction from Zhailon Levingston. At a pacey ninety minutes, the action never stops and never runs the risk of being anything other than thrilling throughout. Levingston’s direction particularly shines in the regular asides that happen when cast members leave the moment to address the audience, sometimes for a brief moment before switching back. It is always slick, precise and flawlessly executed, with each transition to a fragment from the past phenomenally handled."
Theatre and Tonic
Reviewer: Chiara
"Marisha Wallace is instantly engaging as Jada, a sassy flight attendant yet unsure of her newly single status. Opposite her, Jamael Westman plays Dallas, an aspiring music producer full of swag but trying to keep his drinking in check. He shines in his physicality and cocky energy as he chats up Jada the first time. Even more notable is the chemistry between them, tender at times, lusty at others, making it impossible not to root for the former lovers, warts and all."
WhatsOnStage
"The show’s greatest asset, however, is Michael Rishawn"
Reviewer: Hang Yuen
"As a bitterly single, queer receptionist and hopeless romantic, he brings vulnerability and comic timing; as Eric, he becomes a straightforward, confident man who steals Jada’s heart; and as the bartender, he is an almost hilariously narcissistic muscle bro, while simultaneously displaying genuinely impressive bartending skills (I highly recommend to take the table seats if you are going on a date – you might even get a freshly made drink from Rishawn!). His narration is equally engaging. If Rishawn steals the show, it is partly because he makes you want to see even more of him."
London Box Office
"The comedy in this performance is outstanding"
Reviewer: Eve Jawara
"The comedy in this performance is outstanding. Marisha Wallace, Jamael Westman, and Michael Rishawn had incredible chemistry together, and every joke landed with laughs from the audience. The clever switching between the events at table 17 and scenes from their relationship kept the story exciting, with plot twists and surprises as the plotline unfolds. Alongside the comedy, it allows for a touching portrayal of human relationships changing over time and how connections and soul ties can last long after a relationship falls apart."
West End Best Friend
"An otherwise superb comedy-drama"
Reviewer: Phil Meikle
"Levingston navigates the shifts between past and present with impressive fluidity, aided by Matt Haskins’ excellent lighting design. The transitions are seamless, allowing the emotional revelations to emerge naturally. Wallace and Westman share an effortless chemistry, combining strong comic instincts with genuine emotional depth. Even as painful truths surface, Lyons ensures the audience continues to hope for a reconciliation."
Theatre Weekly
"A brilliant production that boasts an incredible cast and electric performances"
Reviewer: Katie Shaw
"Marisha Wallace and Jamael Westman play Jada and Dallas, and what fitting roles for these two incredibly talented performers. Wallace shines as Jada, an instantly likeable young woman who confesses her vulnerability surrounding her meeting with Dallas to the audience from the get-go: she would take Dallas back but only if he makes it clear he wants her back first. But she would take him back. Westman is brilliant as the more closed off, emotionally ambiguous Dallas, and these two have an undeniable chemistry that adds a tangible quality to their fictional past."
Time Out
“Jamael Westman and Marisha Wallace star in a funny, clever new romcom”
Reviewer: Isobel Lewis
“Directed by Tony-winner Zhailon Levingston (he of Broadway’s acclaimed CATS The Jellicle Ball), Table 17 is unafraid to conjure these big emotions – and big sounds – from its crowd. Constantly wrongfooting the audience, the show flips from laugh-out-loud hilarity to genuine tragedy in minutes, changing costumes and switching timelines at equal pace. It’s a stylish and exhilarating theatrical experience, jolted forward by three powerful, emotive performances. The characters might be car crashes, but you won’t want to look away from a production this slick.”
The Reviews Hub
Reviewer: Louise Burns
“What Lyons captures very well is that good people make mistakes. Love is often confusing, and without communication, needs are missed. Misunderstandings and hurt happen. Is love all we need? Can love fix everything? How do we forgive and allow ourselves to be vulnerable again? These questions are served up and savoured, yet it does not feel enough, and we are left a little hungry for more.”
LondonTheatre1
Reviewer: Chris Omaweng
“Given the substantial shortcomings of both characters, it was difficult to root for either of them, and at the same time, there was the pervasive feeling that they deserve one another. For reasons in the storyline that would be too much of a spoiler to reveal, there were strong arguments for both parties to walk away, though the play rather mischievously explores the emotional and psychological baggage that comes with even agreeing to meet with one’s ex-partner again.”
Liam O’Dell
"The brilliance at the heart of Levingston’s direction and Lyons’ story is the hyperbolic humour which contrasts the serious circumstances, with shocking twists and outrageously funny, self-respecting shutdowns. Dallas’ love of corduroy is regularly criticised, and in a flashback to his proposal to Jada on camera, we watch as she darts off to make sure she looks good and the camera catches her best side. The relaxing of the relationship between audience and company helps to serve this purpose, too."
The Guardian
"A tasty romcom served with dazzle and cheek"
Reviewer: Arifa Akbar
"Its ambition to double up as a serious relationship drama is not always met because of the imbalance of cutesy humour. The play treads similar ground to such recently successful romantic two-handers as Benedict Lombe’s Shifters but is not as emotionally freighted, and nor does it have the larger social framework. The point here, it seems, is to entertain with comedy and elicit sentiment from romance."
LondonTheatre.co.uk
"The fantastic cast make a hearty meal out of this charming romcom"
Reviewer: Matt Wolf
"Chances are you’ve been down this dramatic path before but rarely with the brio brought to the table (number 17, in fact) by director Zhailon Levingston, a 2026 Tony winner for the glorious Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Telling of a onetime couple who meet up for dinner two years after they chose to part, the play recalls the road that has led to their decision to call it quits, while hinting near the end at a brighter tomorrow."
BroadwayWorld
"Its core emotional truths are being lost along the way"
Reviewer: Clementine Scott
"Jada and Dallas’ conversations at dinner reveal sensitive observations from Lyons on how exes interact with each other, especially when there’s clearly still love there. But he’s far too quick to follow these up with a crude joke, or a sidelong glance to the audience. The mask is never lifted, and we never get a full sense of who these people are and why they fell in love; flashbacks depicting Jada and Dallas’ past jump straight from their first meeting in a bar to their engagement two years later."
Everything Theatre
“A charismatic rom-com that occasionally struggles to match its charm with substance.”
Reviewer: Owen Thomas James
“Wallace is undoubtedly an extraordinary performer. Best known for her work in Broadway and West End musicals, she is equally comfortable here with the heightened personality, devastating emotional turns and comic timing the role demands. Rishawn is similarly magnetic, electrifying each of his characters with vigour and humour and clearly relishing the repeated opportunities to break the fourth wall. Westman has the harder task. Dallas’ moments of heartbreak and pain are effectively played, but the character is ultimately underwritten and lacks depth, leaving this actor with less material to work with than his co-stars.”
London Unattached
Reviewer: Mike Stone
“The dramatic structure means we know Dallas and Jada split up. Exploring the reasons why is of interest but means there is inevitably a lack of dramatic tension. The will they/won’t they get back together question becomes the focus of the play but doesn’t feel very high stakes, and the twist (there always is one) is muted. That said, the production undoubtedly has the atmosphere of a good night out, a relaxed comic show almost verging on a revue. It doesn’t offer many deep insights about relationships or the perils of reconciliation, but the strong cast are compelling.”
First Night Magazine
“Lacklustre rom-com isn’t out of date, but it isn’t flavourful either”
Reviewer: Guillermo Názara
“The cast still compels despite the material’s many flaws. Marisha Wallace is electrifying as the self-conscious Jada, delivering a performance that teems with high-octane comicality and star quality. Nonetheless, the highest praise goes to Michael Rishawn and his impeccable multi-role portrayal, where he transforms into totally different characters with absolute command — to the point that you may genuinely believe you’re not watching the same person act.”
Afridiziak Theatre News
“An hilarious, relatable and thoroughly entertaining evening at the Kiln”
Reviewer: Mark Arbouine
“It’s a simple story of boy meets girl, they fall in love, the relationship breaks down and everything builds towards a conclusion where we discover whether or not they will get back together. It’s formulaic romcom territory and the storytelling isn’t particularly layered or nuanced, but the production succeeds through the magnetic chemistry between Wallace and Westman and the charismatic, highly energetic performance of Michael Rishawn. He plays multiple roles, most memorable is River, the couple’s hilariously nosey waiter, and as Eric, Jada’s flirtatious work colleague.”
Ikon London Magazine
"The play serves, but the waiter eats"
Reviewer: Elena Leo
"On press night at Kiln Theatre, more than 200 people were invited to join this group-therapy session. We were asked, quite explicitly, to get involved: help Jada choose what to wear for the “rebound date”, clap along with Dallas, sympathise with River’s dating woes. Normally, this sort of audience participation can become theatre’s equivalent of an unwanted party game. Here, it felt surprisingly natural."
Also reviewed by: The Stage, where Neil Norman gave three stars under the line "Attractive, lightweight US romcom is smart and entertaining" — his review sits behind a paywall, so the rating and the byline are all we can report first-hand.
Several papers were unreadable rather than silent when this roundup went up — The Telegraph, The Times and the Financial Times all refused us today — and we will add their notices here as soon as we can read them. In the meantime, the production photographs are worth a look: see our first look at Steve Gregson’s Table 17 stills, and our other recent London theatre review roundups.
Table 17 runs at the Kiln Theatre until Saturday 24 October 2026.
