It’s titled Dinner for One, and generally known as The ninetieth Birthday. Not at all heard of it? I’ll make clear: Dinner for One is a two-person comedy sketch written for the stage by English actor-writer Lauri Wylie. In 1963, the 18-minute skit was broadcast on West German TV, starring comedy legends May Warden and Freddie Frinton.
Since then, the fast film has gained one factor of a cult following. And, no matter its English dialogue and July premiere, it has develop right into a observe to rebroadcast Dinner for One each New Yr’s Eve all through many European nations: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland. (It has gained popularity in Australia and South Africa too.) This has, over a very long time, made this technique one of many essential broadcast ever.
Nevertheless … why? Properly, that’s been the subject of academic evaluation and even a Danish documentary. Frankly, it’s very humorous. And wine lovers might be to know that the sketch’s humor is actually constructed spherical wine pairings for a correct dinner.
Proper right here’s the plot: For her ninetieth birthday, Miss Sophie (carried out by Warden) hosts dinner for 4 shut buddies. It may be a cheerful occasion if not for the reality that she is the one surviving member of the group. Nonetheless, Sophie has her butler, James (Frinton), put collectively a four-course dinner for her and the “mates.” The meal is served à la russe, that implies that each course is served individually to Sophie and the 4 empty seats at her desk.
The first course is mulligatawny soup, which Sophie requests be served alongside Sherry. In actual fact, solely she’s going to actually profit from the fortified wine, leaving the other 4 glasses for James. This dynamic continues as a result of the butler serves North Sea haddock and an unspecified white wine, then rooster and Champagne and, lastly, fruit and Port, with James ingesting the remaining 4 glasses at each go and turning into noticeably drunk. Quite a bit slurring and bodily comedy ensues.
So, upon its 61st 12 months on the small show, I need to take the possibility to salute Dinner for One. Spanning two fully completely different centuries, this humble black-and-white film has confirmed audiences world extensive that wine pairing could also be ripe for comedy. Nevertheless, not like James the butler, please sip responsibly in 2024.
Wine and New Yr’s: Traditions, Pairings and Further
Each Dec. 31, bottles upon bottles of Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, U.S. bubbly and completely different glowing wines are popped to rejoice the model new 12 months. It’s as conventional a trip customized as, say, resolutions.
Nevertheless glowing wine is not the one potable traditionally beloved on New Yr’s: Some people have their New Yr’s wassail, others have their favorite fizzy cocktail.
And for individuals who need just some New Yr’s meals ideas, we have you coated, with all of the issues from Eric Ripert’s mushroom Bolognese pasta and Brad Kilgore’s crowd-friendly lasagna to Yotam Ottolenghi’s butternut squash galette and JP Park’s ssambap rice rolls and additional.