It started with a single rose, placed in my hand by a perky attendant at the door of Norwood, a members-only club in New York’s Meatpacking District. I was then asked to fetch a Champagne cocktail at the bar and wait for the evening to start. Thankfully, that Seal song was not playing over the sound system. That would have been weird.

I’d been invited to attend the latest Dinner With Thieves, an interactive dinner theater and performance art piece presented by Australian trio The Kin — a band comprised of brothers Thorald and Isaac Koren and their hand-drummer named Shakerleg. There were promises of suckling pig and…mystery. Cellphone usage was strictly forbidden. So no Instagram! Shit. Oh well. I played along anyways.

As I downed my flute of bubbles, the brothers burst into Norwood’s parlor and broke into song before leading our group, consisting of club members and music industry types, upstairs to a darkened dining room.

This is where the night’s conceit was unveiled. Thorland and Isaac, along with co-founder and screen actor James St. Vincent and their mother (!!), would tell the story of a band of bank robbers — via spoken word and two-part harmonies in the style of Mumford & Sons with added steampunk edge.

Norwood chef David Rotter was in on the fun as well, telling the crowd about his stellar four-course dinner while in character. Well, playing the part of a talented farm-to-table toque serving fried olives stuffed with mortadella and a lovely summer salad of red lettuce, feta, avocado, scallions and dill. So, not much of a stretch.

After some interactive song and dance with the Brothers Koren, the main course (called “beasts”) was served — presented to the tables by the actors and bandmembers. The suckling pig, taken from a farm Upstate, was some of the best I’ve ever had, while organic chicken under a brick pleased my kosher tablemate. It’s rare that the dinner element of “dinner theater” lives up to the theatrics and props go to Rotter for standing out.

As a dessert of Campari grapefruit sorbet was circulated, the Kin broke into their final song — in full drag (!) — and thanked the audience for playing along. Creative and delivering on a tough promise (dinner theater that rocks), the Kin wins all around. Only disappointment: I didn’t get to see Shakerleg in action!

You can catch the band all summer long at New York’s Rockwood Music Hall. And visit their website for songs and information on attending future Dinners With Thieves.

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