Did you ever want to dally like Dali at a dinner party? For those who missed out on the infamous 1972 surrealist soirées or Lemonade and Laughing Gas’ more recent version, here is the inside view on the latter.
Last month, Lemonade and Laughing Gas held a short series of surrealist dinner parties inspired by Baroness Marie-Hélène Rothschild infamous 1972 “Diner de Têtes Surrealiste“. Those lucky enough to get an invite to the latter joined the crème de la crème of Parisian high society at her mansion to rub shoulders with Salvador Dali, Audrey Hepburn and Richard Burton and witnessed quite the spectacle.
The Baroness’ guests were asked to come in black tie & long dresses with surrealist heads. The chateau was floodlit with moving orange lights to give the impression that it was on fire. Inside, the staircase was lined by footmen dressed as cats that appeared to have fallen asleep in a variety of staged poses. Guests had to pass through a kind of labyrinth of hell, made of black ribbons to look like cobwebs. the occasional cat appeared to rescue the guests & lead them to the tapestry salon. Here they were greeted by guy with a hat to resemble a still-life on a platter and by the Baroness herself wearing the head of a giant stag weeping tears made of diamonds.
Lemonade & Laughing Gas’ modern version saw the eating part of the evening become an art installation crossed with an experimental buffet: part sit down dinner, part eating journey based on a menu imagined by Moro head chef Flo Hillier, and inspired by the 1972 menu’s oddities such as “Chevres hurlant de Tristesse” (roughly translated as “cheese of goat screaming in post-coital sadness”). Attention was also paid to the liquid refreshment with mixologist and regular collaborator Alex Orwin designing special cocktails and expertly paired drinks.
Their next events are planned for around Christmas. Check out their website for the latest details.
All images: Toby McKay of Boogaloo Productions
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