Last week I got invited by VOX Cinemas to the premiere of Johnny English Strikes Again. The premier was showing at their VIP theater which they call “THEATRE by Rhodes”, after the Michelin-starred chef, Gary Rhodes. I hadn’t experienced the Rhodes theater yet so I was curious to try it out.
THEATRE by Rhodes is located in an area separate from the rest of the VOX theaters in Avenues. So while the VOX regular area was busy, once I stepped into the Rhodes area it was super chill and a completely different look. From a super bright white busy area, you walk into a much dimmer, quieter and moodier space, as if you’ve just walked into a lounge. Actually, it is a lounge with what looks like a bar on one side and lots of seating all around. Food and drinks were included with the invitation so as soon as we were seated the waiters brought me and my friend menus so we could pick out our three-course meal and drinks. There were a number of different options to choose from in every category, you had the usual stuff like nachos and hotdogs but of course, presented much nicer and composed of better quality ingredients, but you then had more interesting options which for the life of me I can’t remember what they were. I should have taken a picture of the menu but I didn’t. My starter though was a crispy shrimps dish and my main was chicken and shrimp satay on sticks.
After placing our order we were taken to our seats inside the theater. The seats are all reclining with an adjustable footrest as well. You also get a complementary blanket and pillow. It was super cozy and comfortable, like watching a movie at home except better since I don’t have a reclining sofa at home. The seating was easily my favorite part of the experience and the main reason I’d go back thats for sure. Once the movie started they began bringing our food out. I thought this was going to be annoying because you’d have waiters walking around and in front of the screen but the waiters were all pretty stealthy. You’ll barely notice them.
Even though the movie wasn’t great I had a good experience. The only issue really is that the seats are all too far apart from each other. So I couldn’t communicate with my friend at all throughout the film. It’s a very solo experience watching a movie in the VIP theater and you might as well just go by yourself, which actually is a great plus. If you’re an introvert and want to go and watch a movie by yourself, you’ll love this place. It just feels like everyone in the theater is sitting by themselves so you won’t feel self-conscious or awkward.
The price for a normal THEATRE by Rhodes ticket is KD10 but if you want the 3-course meal and drinks then the package costs KD20. For more information or if you’re interested in trying out the theater yourself, check out the THEATRE by Rhodes website [Here]
