Penelope Alice samples tea and a tour at the National Theatre

Those of you who have attended theatre outings with PA Life in the past know that I’m a big fan of the stage. So I was happy to jump on the chance to take a tour of the National Theatre and sample afternoon tea at the new House restaurant.

The tour is a great way to experience the behind-the-scenes work that goes in to each and every one of the theatre’s productions. We got to see the backstage area, where sets and props are stored between performances, as well as the workshops where all of those elements come to life. It’s especially impressive to see how the creative teams transform ordinary wood and polystyrene into tile, plaster and concrete using a bit of paint and some clever ingenuity.

To finish off the tour, we were welcomed into the new House restaurant to experience its unique, themed afternoon tea. Each piece of this meal has a story behind it, from the pork pie that’s inspired by Sweeney Todd to the hummus and red pepper sandwich made famous by One Man, Two Guv’nors and the delicious Marble Mouthful cake that’s reminiscent of Eliza Doolittle’s line in My Fair Lady. By far my favourite part is the layered honey cake, which is made with honey from the National Theatre’s very own beehives.

The whole experience is perfect for entertaining clients from out of town. Check it out at nationaltheatre.org/house.