A feast for the senses
Back again at The Lost Estate after seven Christmas seasons, The Great Christmas Feast is here to spread unrivalled festive cheer. Dubbed ‘London’s immersive heavyweights’, The Lost Estate is where to find the ultimate dinner and a show combination.
Set in the home of Charles Dickens on Christmas Eve 1843, audiences walk through a mini-museum of artefacts, providing some historical context around the time of A Christmas Carol. The moment the venue is revealed is truly jaw-dropping. Lanterns adorn the ceiling, bookshelves line the walls and cosy tables are placed throughout the room.
The production follows Charles Dickens (David Alwyn), retelling his work A Christmas Carol, to a room full of his contemporaries, including his dastardly publishers. The story has been adapted slightly by Adam Clifford to incorporate some modern language and engage the audience with interactive elements. It’s the perfect blend of accessible and faithful, retaining the meaning of the original text while direct address keeps the audience laughing and up for anything.
The structure of the evening follows a three-course meal, served around a three-act performance from Alwyn. Entree is served first and with a cold dish surrounded by pickled vegetables, on a bed of fish and chip style grease paper, it’s a divisive and unappealing meal. Main course of roast duck leg is divine, while dessert of twelfth night tart is extremely dry and tough with very little filling. The table service is clunky all night, with waiters consistently bringing the wrong drinks, wrong food or missing orders altogether.
Fortunately Alwyn’s performance saves the day. From the moment he first addresses the room, the audience is totally captivated. With an arsenal of accents and physicalities, he effortlessly transforms from one character to the next and back again. His storytelling keeps the narrative engaging, assisted by excellent design by Darling & Edge, with thunderclaps, flashing lights and a perfectly curated atmosphere.
Alwyn is assisted by three talented musicians, who underscore the entire evening, acting as side characters when necessary. Guy Button on the violin is master of the ambience, creating everything from eerie graveyard to lively Christmas party. Stan Talman on percussion moves throughout the playing space to his various instruments, always striking the perfect note on queue. Charlotte Kaslin has a fabulous cello solo, set in an under-utilised area of the stage and bringing some balance to the space.
Finishing the evening with a rousing speech about the season of giving, this spectacular show will leave you feeling generous and fulfilled. The perfect Christmas treat to lift any Scrooge out of their festive slump.