David Williamson’s new play is the kind of tale the French spin so reliably in their comedy films – a toe-curling dinner party scenario that serves as an examination of ambition, social anxiety and class.

Katie (played by Mandy Bishop) is a middle-ranking arts professional married to medical tech entrepreneur Roger (Johnny Nasser). They want for nothing, one imagines, but outer suburban-raised Katie has long been fixated on the greasy pole of Sydney’s arts board scene. She wants a seat at the kinds of board tables headed by establishment power couple Charles and Catherine Mallory (Andrew Macfarlane and Sarah Chadwick). 

Determined to impress, Katie embellishes her CV and invites Charles and Catherine to dinner – luring them off their beaten track with the promise of fine wines, a meal prepared by a celebrity chef and the presence of a well-known (though fading) Australian film director Ben (Matt Minto) and his partner Laura (Jo Downing), a teacher.

The main event is the promised unveiling of an important addition to Katie’s art collection – one that Charles cannot resist.