The Grapevine Art & Soul Salon
AROUND TOWN WITH NANCY ROSE
A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole
Mad Hatter's Tea (and Gin) Party, another "immersive experience" presented by Fever Entertainment, sounded intriguing when I read the promotion a few months ago. Guests needed to be twenty-one or older and show proper ID. My granddaughter Kelly and I have birthdays in January, so I bought tickets to celebrate and invited my daughter and my other two granddaughters, all grown up now.
Promotions and tickets are offered a few months ahead of the actual experience; the secret location is not announced until about a month before opening. When Underground Atlanta was finally revealed as the location, I was hesitant to go because, although Underground was a popular and safe venue in years past, in recent times it has deteriorated and become subject to crimes and store closures and vacant entertainment venues. It is now going through its third redevelopment, (the first one in the l960s, the second in the 1980s). I was ready to cancel our adventure but the granddaughters insisted we go. Because of Covid and a pre-planned ski trip, only two granddaughters, Jessica and Kelly, and a friend, Earlece, who offered to take one of the tickets, went with me. If we had stayed home, we would have missed one of our best adventures together.
Upon arriving at Underground Atlanta, we walked around until we spotted a big banner over the entryway to Underground proclaiming Mad Hatter as the event. Because, like Alice (in Wonderland), we didn't want to be late, we hurried down the two levels of steps leading to the entrance, went inside and continued to follow the signs down the corridor, around the curve and down the hallway until we saw a small group of people waiting to be admitted to Alice's Wonderland for one and a half hours. The door opened on time and IDs were checked. I asked if Covid vaccination proof was required and was told they were not authorized to check Covid vaccination status.
The entrance room was filled with a variety of hats displayed on racks for guests to choose from if they didn't wear one of their own. I wore my mother's red hat to honor her. Earlece chose a black bicorn pirate's hat overflowing with white feathers and ribbon. Kelly selected a traditional cowboy hat, and Jessica chose to highlight her sense of elegance by choosing an Edwardian era hat: ivory, wide brim, round, decorated with ribbons, bows and lace.
Once we were properly attired, we went into a very small chamber and listened for the Cheshire Cat to announce that we should push open the door to advance to the next room. In this black room there were no observable doors, no entrance or exit and no seams, so it looked like a continuous wall. Here we toasted each other with tiny bottles of a potion that Hare gave us to make us small enough to go down the Rabbit Hole. When Hare touched the magic wall, it opened. I guess we weren't small enough because we didn't tumble down the rabbit hole but instead walked into an Alice fantasy wonderland of luscious looking decorations. Different shades of lights swirled around the room bouncing off the floor-to-ceiling mirrors on one side of the room, and the other walls decorated with fabric and painted designs. Dangling from the ceiling were colored flowers and streamers and lanterns of different shapes, colors and movement. The tables were arranged in a semicircle with two stages in the room, one in the center and the other one against the wall, for the Mad Hatter, Dormouse and Hare to perform and for guests to take pictures after the party. The tables were set for a tea party: plates, silverware, cups and saucers, water, napkins and centerpieces of vases overflowing with silk flowers and greenery.
Jessica and Kelly chose seats. Earlece and I sat across from them. As people were being seated, Tweedledee and Tweedledum waiters placed three-tiered tea trays with sandwiches and cookies on the tables. There was one tray for every two people, containing two tea sandwiches and one store-bought cookie per person. The emphasis was obviously on the tea (and gin), not the food.
Looking at the guests in their creative costumes and hats was so much fun. They did not take this tea party lightly. Their laughter and colorful costumes and hats suggested to me that they had planned for the event and came to enjoy the party. Three costumes that I loved were worn by Alice, White Rabbit, and Queen of Hearts.
Once guests were seated and the door was closed, the Mad Hatter, dressed in her black top hat, colorful jacket and vest and black skirt with stockings and shoes, appeared and asked, "What time is it?" It was tea time, of course. Three Gunpowder Irish gin cocktails were served throughout the ninety minute party with entertainment by Mad Hatter, who was the host, and appearances by Hare and Dormouse. There were nonalcoholic cocktails available upon request.
While Mad Hatter was performing and interacting with Hare and Dormouse and the guests, the cocktails were prepared at the table by Tweedledee or Tweedledum. The first cocktail, The Pool of Tears, was pretty and fun to look at because it changed colors. In addition to gin and the magic color-changing potion, it had Butterfly pea flower tea. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat, with flower petals and glitter, in addition to gin, was the second cocktail. Again, very pretty to look at before drinking. The third cocktail was the most fun. It was a "smokin drink served up with delicious Gunpowder Irish Gin and a jaw-dropping Rosemary infused smoke bubble."
Even though in Wonderland it is always tea time, at the end of ninety minutes our journey down the rabbit hole came to end. Mad Hatter, Dormouse and Hare needed time to prepare for the next group of guests waiting to fall down, or walk through, the rabbit hole and enjoy the surprises awaiting them. We left in a merry mood, glad that we'd made the right decision.
Copyright 2021, Barbara Knott. All Rights Reserved.