We’ve only seen good things from local theater company Andsoforth. They’ve certainly carved a niche for themselves by now, with their unique brand of immersive theater and theatrical pop-up feasts. There was the phantasmagorical Cluedo-type journey of Disco David in 2017, and more recently, the fairy-tales-gone-bad extravaganza that was Adventures in Grimmsneyland. The latter—a racy, tongue-in-cheek affair that included shirtless stripper dwarves and naughty princesses—is currently being adapted into a more PG-friendly version for children too.
Adventures in Grimmsneyland
If it seems like it’s a little soon for their next pop-up, it’s because it’s a separate mini dining series from their main event. The Secret Garden Supper Club is a collaboration with renowned London-based supper club The Literary Hour—and yup, will be based on the 1911 children’s classic of the same name. Instead of the multi-room setting fans might have come to expect, all the magic will take place in a single room. As usual, details about the actual narrative for the event are scant, but you can safely expect a key that unlocks your night to a beautiful, floral decorated dinner (or brunch).
Founded in 2016, The Literary Hour is known for their multi-sensory dinners that bring favorite books to life. Previous theatrical feasts they’ve done in London include a gastronomical take on Around the World in Eighty Days and a twinkly lit feast in Narnia, where guests entered through a fur coat-stuffed wardrobe. For this feast, to bring Frances Hodgson Burnett’s magical novel to life, local floral studio With Every will be providing the floral design.
To say the series is “exclusive” is an understatement. The Secret Garden will run on six days only—for dinner on Jul 27-28 and Aug 3-4, and brunch on Sundays Jul 29 and Aug 5—to a limited 35 guests each time. Don’t scoff at the food either; the four-course dinner in Grimmsneyland was surprisingly tasty for the fact that it was all prepared in a warehouse. In keeping with this edition’s theme, this feast will showcase a five-course menu of locally sourced herbs and flowers a la urban foraging, and includes a complimentary floral cocktail. And guess what? All the dates have officially sold out; but to keep up with demand, Andsoforth has added an extra date for dinner on Aug 2. We’d book right now if we were you.
The Secret Garden Supper Club happens Jul 27-29, Aug 2-5 (only Aug 2 available) at a secret location in the East. Tickets are $108 and available here.
