As a literature lover, and somebody who would without hesitation time-travel to Victorian London and never return, I have wanted to go to The Lost Estate's The Great Christmas Feast since it opened five years ago. This is it's sixth year of sold-out festivities.
Finding the location was the first little spark of magic. Tucked away down a little side-street in West Kensington is a small warehouse. The entire building, door and all, is a greyish black colour. It could have been any warehouse in London. But this one? This one was home to magic.
The entire checking in process was smooth and simple, with a coat check-in, and friendly box-office staff to confirm dietary requirements and kick start guests on their journey.
As these were complimentary tickets, our initial experience differed slightly. Guests with tickets can expect to receive a key with their table number on it. Keep this safe.
To begin the experience, audience members wander through a short exhibit. We are invited to enter London in 1843, shortly after a critical failure of one of Charles Dicken's novels: Barnaby Rudge. The exhibition is a short toe-dip into literary, illustrative, and general Victorian history. The walls are adorned with prints by John Leech for A Christmas Carol, snippings from newspapers, old signs, and letters from Charles Dickens himself, all to add flavour to the political and personal histories of the times. The vision is that Dickens, in debt, is desperate for his next hit - or the debtors prison awaits.
Personal highlights of the exhibition were a large map of 1840s London with magnifying glasses to peer at, and, more importantly, an exquisite first edition of A Christmas Carol. Published in 1843, the first edition is a small beautiful cloth bound title, smaller than even most modern paperbacks, with an embossed and gold colour gilded wreath which houses the title and authors name in a beautiful font - the way each letter swirls off like mist is a touch of genius for the Victorian design.
Fans of this edition will be pleased to hear that reproduction copies are available both at the venue, and via your local independent bookshops. The jacked and inside are both as close to the original print as possible for modern publication standards.
We come to a door. Key-holders, here, will use their key to open the door into a little hallway. Upon the coat-rack hang Dicken's coat and his hat. Holly wreaths adorn framed pictures and the set is dressed with books. You are invited into Charles Dickens' home. Welcome to The Great Christmas Feast.
That first glimpse is ... well, it's spectacular. It's a festive feast for the eyes with lanterns hung from the ceiling, oil lamps flickering on countless wooden tables with center-pieces of holly and red berries. Around the room, huge Gothic style windows glow atmospheric indigo, making it feel like the evening moon glows into the room - despite it only being just past noon when we arrived. The circumference of the room is set into zones; a kitchen, with wood paneling, pots, pans, cloths, and all manner of detritus; a bedroom, with a tall bed and high bed curtains, a wardrobe with it's door left ajar and dressing gown hung over it; a library overflowing with red-spined books and pages spilling out of them like an overflowing cup; and finally, Mr. Dicken's writing desk, again, piled high with books, a flickering oil lamp, and, vitally, the tale we will be read together: A Christmas Carol.
The set dressing is spectacular, and I am glad my partner and I arrived early to enjoy it. We ordered a Party House Punch to share, and soaked in the atmosphere hungrily. The attention to detail is incredible, with period paintings and illustrations framed on the walls, patterned period appropriate wallpaper, textured wood paneling, rope, and even the delightful members of staff had taken the time to do their hair in a Victoriana style. Watching other guest arrive, many had chosen to take the suggestion of dressing up and were wearing beautiful period attire. I had chosen a simple period-esque dress - but the jealousy of the fantastic suits, full-length gowns, and frilly silk skirts was intense! Everyone looked fantastic, and surveying the room, filled with people all dressed the part, all helped with the immersion. If I were to give any advice to any future guests, it would be to dress up, arrive early, and look everywhere. I am sure that I missed many, many details.
The show is spectacular. I do not want to give too much away, but, as a fan of the novel and an avid Christmas movie watcher, this is one of the most atmospherically faithful adaptations of the classic that I have seen. The music (played live by Guy Button, Charlotte Kaslin, and Beth Higham-Edwards) adds a cinematic feel. The sound design on this show is perfection, at times playful, then joyous, then down-right terrifying. The set is used in many surprising ways (no spoilers!) and the lighting and occasional use of fog for that hazy smoke-shrouded London feeling is really effective.
The narrator, Mr Dickens, way played by the fantastic Adam Elliot who multi-roles... well... every role. Adam Elliot attacks the wordy narration with power and heart. Immediately, he has the audience in the palm of his hand, teasing and playing with them, before launching into the weighty gravitas of A Christmas Carol. It is a fast-paced affair, pausing twice for first and second courses of food. The inventive use of space, staging, and lighting keep the show dynamic from every angle - there may be brief moments that you miss behind a musician or audience member's head, but there are countless others that only you are privy to. For example, the genuine horror on Scrooge's face was a real intimate highlight for our table. Adam Elliot brings every character to life, and makes every prop, staging moment, and dynamic line of writing sing for every single member of the audience. I would say he is a scene-stealer, but he is every scene. He lives and breathes each beat of this play, and is the perfect guide throughout the show.
I would also like to dip my hat to the creative decision to make the tale actually scary. My largest gripe, aside from the horrifying spirits in The Muppet Christmas Carol, is that many adaptations shy away from the disturbing and bone-chilling aspects of the hauntings. We, as modern media consumers, are desensitised often to the genuine fear that readers must have felt upon that first ever read through in 1843. The Lost Estate have made a seriously thrilling, shivers-down-your-spine, adaptation that is as laden with the ghostly happenings and heartfelt messages, as it is with joy and festivity.
The food and drink was delicious. I went for the veggie option (which, for the starter, only meant I did not have some sort of ham on my plate, which was full of picked veggies, cheese, chutney, and delicious pease pudding) and my partner had the meat option. The main was either what looked like a beautifully roasted duck leg and 'all the trimmings', or a mushroom pithivier and a vegetarian version of those trimmings. For desert, and honestly, my favourite part of the meal, was the black treacle and ginger tart with plum pudding Chantilly cream and berry coulis. This was Christmas on a plate. I can only appologise to anyone who saw me eat this, as I cannot be held responsible for my actions. It was just so, so delicious. We tried three cocktails at the experience, the punch as mentioned, the Fezziwig's rhubarb drink (lightly fizzy, sweet and zesty like sherbet, and overall, very refreshing) and the Smoking Bishop (smoked and mulled pinot noir with a spiced orange taste.) All of the cocktails looked spectacular, if not slightly pricey, but the spectacle of the Smoking Bishop was worth it. The glass comes filled with a sweet and woody smoke, which our waitress was kind enough to let me film as it billowed out of the glass. It really is quite the experience, and I thoroughly recommend trying this twist on the warming festive favourite.
Overall, if you get the opportunity to see this show - you simply must. It's spirit-lifting, life-affirming, joyous, and fabulously festive. The music, the staging, the food, the drink, and the acting are not to be missed. Kick-start your festive season with this unforgettable immersive experience. I can't wait to go back.