Practice Makes A Perfect Omelette

Jane Perrot gives Lance Hodges some pointers on rustling up a Western.

According to convention the way to a man's heart is through is stomach... but sometimes it works just as well the other way round.

So when a Swindon theatre company actor had to woo a character onstage with a perfect Western omelette he decided to do some method acting – and learn how to do it for real.

Lance Hodges, a facilities manager from West Swindon, has been taking lessons from Jane Perrott at the Palette Café in the Arts Centre ready for his performance which runs at the Old Town Theatre from Thursday to Saturday.

The Old Town Theatre Company production is Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally.

"OTTC actors are often required to develop a new skill when performing a role," said Lance.

"A few years ago when I was playing the Vicomte de Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses we enlisted the help of the Swindon Fencing Club, who taught us how to perfect our parries and lunges like 18th century aristocrats.

"Now, it's down to Nigel and Jane of the Palette Café to teach me how to chop onions like a professional, without slicing off my fingers during the performances."

The play, which was the inspiration for the Hollywood movie Frankie and Johnny, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino, is based on two lonely, mid-life lovers who work in the same New York diner.

Frankie is a waitress and Johnny a short-order cook. Both have had their share of life's ups and downs and Johnny thinks he's found his perfect partner in Frankie. But, Frankie's not ready to commit to more than a one-night stand, so Johnny's got to go some to win her round.

Frankie's got far too much stred-cred to fall for his words of romance, so he tries a different tack to woo her. She lives on her own, probably doesn't eat properly, so he decides to rustle her up the perfect Western.

A typical diner dish, a Western is a kind of omelette, made with chopped onions and peppers, served between two slices of bread – ideal comfort-eating for 2am when you've been up all night talking about relationships.

Fenella Harrop, an English teacher from Highworth, plays Frankie. She said: "We wanted to add an authentic air to the whole production, as it has to look as if Lance knows what he's doing when he rustles up his speciality for Frankie.

"Lance admits he's no Jamie Oliver, so we thought it was worth taking some advice from the professionals!"

As well as giving the actors a crash course in American cuisine, to help the audience get into the mood on performance nights staff will be decking out the Palette Café in the style of a diner and serving traditional food.

"They'll even be serving the famous Western, so audiences will be able to find out if it's as good as Johnny claims," said Lance.

If this has whetted your appetite, see OTTC's production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune from Thursday to Saturday at the Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Swindon, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £6 or £4 for concessions. Call the Arts Centre on 01793 614837.

What's a Western?

According to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, a Western, also known as a Denver Omelette, is an omelette filled with diced ham, onions, and red and/or green peppers. It's often served in the Mid-western United States. Here's a recipe:

Western Omelette - Serves One

You need:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Butter for frying
• 50g (2oz) finely chopped ham
• 50g (2oz) red and/or green pepper
• 50g (2oz) finely chopped onion

Method:

Beat together eggs and water; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat butter over medium heat in an 8-inch (20cm) non-stick pan. Sauté ham, red and/or green pepper and onion until tender, about two minutes. Pour in egg mixture. As mixture sets at the edges, with spatula, gently lift cooked portion to allow uncooked egg to flow underneath. Cook until bottom is set and top is almost set. Slip spatula underneath the omelette and fold in half. Slide on to a plate.

Jaine Blackman

The photos appearing in this section were taken by Eloisa Wildsmith of the Swindon Advertiser and all images and text are used with the kind permission of the Swindon Advertiser.

Our special thanks to Nigel and Jane Perrott of the Palette Café, for their assistance with this production.