Where: Downtown Atlanta, Georgia
Style: Alice in Wonderland banquet/stage set
Tea Selection: 3 tea cocktails (non-alcoholic versions available)
Teatimes: Select Event Dates (this experience travels to multiple cities)
Reservations: Advance ticket purchase required
Contact: madhatterginteaparty.com
Cost: $68 Admission (ages 21 and over)
Destination Tea Tips: The dress code is casual but Alice in Wonderland costumes are most welcome. A crazy hat collection is available for guests to borrow as well. The address of each pop-up event will be revealed shortly before the event date.
Destination Tea Notes: A promotional event for Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, the Mad Hatter’s Gin & Tea Party is a theatrical romp of an evening tea party, this one held at historic Underground Atlanta. The experience is a riotous one with nonstop dialogue and comedy delivered by the Mad Hatter, Dormouse and March Hare, who use the entire space as their stage. Picture the Mad Hatter’s garden tea table set in a nightclub. Blue lights give a neon glow to tables set with an eclectic assortment of chairs and teacups. During one or two lulls in the performance, we meet new friends at our community tables and have a moment to chat, but largely, we are audience members. Under a ceiling covered in cascading flowers, we follow along the fast-paced show, listening for the next saucy punchline and following instructions of when it is time to mix and sip our drinks. Make sure you eat a proper dinner beforehand, because tickets to this 90-minute show include 4 gin tea cocktails with a couple small bites. We suggest taking seriously the assignment to come in costume à la manière d’Alice in Wonderland. We certainly did, and that was part of the fun!
We found our costume elements in thrift, craft and online stores. Please note my fierce, mercurial, “off with their heads” face.
Pass through another door to the graffiti’d shrinking hall.
Thankfully the masked actors are miked as they move about the room so that you can still catch their lines. When the Hatter (seemingly a mad genius) had us play “Two Truths and A Lie” to meet our tablemates, he asked me mine, and actually remembered what I told him, divining one of my truths and working it into the show later, telling everyone, “this lady writes about afternoon tea.” Loved it!
Before we go, our Mad Hatter needs to take a call.
Alice in Wonderland Themed Tea Parties
Wonderland and Mad Hatter tearooms and themed teas can be found across the United States. Where? See our post about the connection between this iconic children’s story and afternoon tea. In it, you will find a listing of Wonderland-themed afternoon teas around the country, but we also suggest searching your state afternoon tea directory to see if any new ones have popped up more recently.
`Take some more tea,’ the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
`I’ve had nothing yet,’ Alice replied in an offended tone, `so I can’t take more.’
`You mean you can’t take less,’ said the Hatter: `it’s very easy to take more than nothing.’
`Nobody asked your opinion,’ said Alice.
`Who’s making personal remarks now?’ the Hatter asked triumphantly.”