Returning for its seventh year, The Lost Estate in West Kensington once again plays host to The Great Christmas Feast, a sell-out immersive theatre and dining experience that will leave you full of Christmas cheer, and certainly, a full belly.
Running from 1st November until 12th January 2025, this festive phenomenon brings together leading talents in London’s theatre, music, mixology and fine dining scenes to transport you to Victorian London, Christmas Eve, 1843. Indulge in a three-course Victorian feasting menu, together with an unforgettable one-man performance of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and decadent cocktails to match.
Act One: “God Bless Us Everyone!”
The show is expertly led by Alex Phelps as Charles Dickens, who returns for the role as the esteemed author following rave reviews he garnered of his performance last year. Together with the three-piece orchestra, the moving and ghostly tale of A Christmas Carol is brought to life around your dinner table with a raised central performance space that means everyone gets a good view.
Phelps excels in this remarkably demanding role not only as the narrator, but also as Scrooge, Marley and a host of other much-loved characters from the timeless tale. The set is intimate, and everyone plays a role – even you the diner, as part of a specially invited audience to Dickens’s house for a solo performance of his new novel (something which he was famed for!).
Phelps jumps around the set with ease, slipping seamlessly between the characters and bringing us all, quite literally, into the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the three ghosts – you’re asked to participate in a rousing jig to complete the scene of Fezziwig’s Christmas party, and even raise a lantern to Tiny Tim (a scene so thick with emotion, I could feel it in the silent air).
The performance is divided into three acts, allowing time for you to enjoy the courses and cocktails in between. And speaking of…
Act Two: “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year…”
The menu this year has been devised by executive chef Alex Clarke, previously of The Gordon Ramsay Group and Temper Soho, to bring you years of Victorian feasting distilled into three Christmassy and expertly crafted dishes. Reimagined Victorian classics such as a pressed ham hock terrine with pickled beets and a samphire relish are served alongside the crustiest sourdough bread you’ll ever taste, followed by an elegant confit duck breast served with all the trimmings.
The crispy and garlicky roast potatoes are certainly worth the visit for in my opinion, and the tender duck breast is complemented excellently by mulled cabbage and an orange jus (don’t worry veggie and vegan options are also available). To round it all off, a rich Twelfth Night cake is served with Christmas Pudding ice cream. You certainly won’t be leaving hungry!
And Charlie’s personal cellar is open to all, with a decadent Victorian cocktail menu boasting favourites such as The Smoking Bishop (a smoky and sweet combination of Pinot Noir, Port, cherry liqueur, orange curaçao and Christmas spices), the taste of which can only be described as sitting by a fire surrounded by clove-studded and freshly cut oranges.
Lighter options are also available like the First Edition 1843, a blend of Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne, Cognac, Chartreuse Jaune, lemon and sugar; the cocktail menu is extensive but not overwhelming, with something for everyone to sip whilst they enjoy the show.
Act Three: “Happy as an angel, merry as a school-boy.”
As the above words of Dickens describe, that’s certainly how you’ll be feeling leaving The Lost Estate, and it’s easy to see why this festive experience has been a certified sell-out for six years in a row.
Tickets start at £105 and go up to £279 per person, which isn’t bad value for what is essentially a night out at the theatre and a three-course dinner.
The whole experience is intimate, genuine and seamless, and a must-try for lovers of theatre, food and cocktails alike. After all, an invitation from Charles Dickens himself is not to be turned down. This isn’t just a feast – it is a Lost Estate Christmas Feast!
Discover more at The Great Christmas Feast.
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All imagery courtesy of The Lost Estate.