Dinner for One Drinking Game

The sketch only runs for about 18 minutes, so this drinking game keeps the rules short. The twist: each of you takes on one of the four guests who are only present as empty chairs at Miss Sophie’s birthday dinner – Sir Toby, Admiral von Schneider, Mr Pomeroy or Mr Winterbottom. Whenever James the butler raises a toast on behalf of your guest and drains their glass, you take a small sip too.

Dinner for One is a black-and-white British comedy sketch from 1963 that hardly anyone in the UK knows – but in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and several other countries, watching it on New Year’s Eve is a cult tradition. Draw the guests before you start, ideally with four slips of paper. With two or three players, some of you play two guests. With five, someone plays Miss Sophie; with six, someone plays James as well.

One sip when …

• James toasts your guest – only the person playing that guest drinks.
• James trips over the head of the tiger-skin rug – whoever’s guest was toasted last drinks.
• James gets past the tiger’s head gracefully for once or leaps over it – everyone drinks.
• a new course is served – whoever plays Miss Sophie drinks.
• James pours Sir Toby a little extra – whoever plays Sir Toby hands out one sip.
• James spills or misses the glass while pouring – whoever’s guest is up drinks.
• James visibly sways or grabs the table – whoever plays James drinks.
• someone on the sofa announces a gag before it happens – the spoiler drinks.
• someone recites the lines along with the sketch – they drink.

Two sips when …

• James misses the heel click for the Admiral and staggers – whoever plays the Admiral drinks.
• James gets past the tiger’s head, is amazed at himself and then trips over it on the way back – whoever’s guest was up last drinks.
• James toasts your guest during the final course with port – instead of the usual single sip.
• someone drinks along for the wrong guest – whoever mixed it up drinks.

Finish your glass (or three sips) when …

• the sketch is over – everyone toasts together, ideally with the drink you’ll have at midnight.

Variations

• Light version: only the basic rule applies. Everyone drinks exactly four small sips – one per course.
• Alcohol-free version: recreate the drinks from the sketch without alcohol: apple juice for sherry, white grape juice for white wine, alcohol-free sparkling wine for champagne and red grape juice for port.
• Menu version: serve small bites to match the four courses – soup, a bit of fish, chicken and fruit. You drink more slowly on a full stomach.

Tips

In Germany the sketch airs several times on New Year’s Eve; elsewhere you can easily find a recording. It works best early in the evening – as a fun warm-up, not a sprint just before midnight. And since the game lives on the roles: draw the guests again every year.