I wasn't ready for Tea Party at the End of the World, though I can't say I wasn't warned.
I'd read the description on the official website and the caveats in the patron notes. "The show doesn’t shy away from various explorations of life and death or assume there are correct answers to those queries," it said. Someone who had already seen it tried to prepare me for the experience before I went. But I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to see this one-of-a-kind show, so I convinced myself it was fine. I was going to be fine. I've been in the acceptance stage of the grieving process for almost 10 years now. Surely I could handle it. I was wrong, though not in the way you might think.
Tea Party at the End of the World is a solo, interactive theatrical experience written by and starring Jessica Creane. Creane developed the material during a residency program in the Arctic Circle (yes, that's a real thing) and has performed it in several venues now, from fringe festivals to a climate conference. I caught this performance during the show's brief run at Hatch Escapes, a nondescript building in West Los Angeles that houses several escape rooms, an immersive theatrical experience called The Nest, and other innovative, immersive works. Tucked away in a small but cozy space, Creane has created what she calls a pocket dimension, safe and set apart from the outside world. It's not so hard to believe her when she tells you that.
She begins the show by greeting the audience at the door and asking that anyone carrying any kind of bagged tea (or, at our performance, a bottle of iced Lipton) surrender it before entering the space. It's a request that's a little cheeky and yet deadly serious at the same time, setting up a tone of playful intensity for the rest of the proceedings. Each audience member is offered a small teacup from a tray, then given the opportunity to trade with others until the right cup comes to them. I only traded once with my neighbor, but others traded multiple times. The ritual acts as a sort of ice breaker, giving everyone an excuse to interact with those around them, the strangers who will become your companions on this strange, intense journey.
And what a journey it is, engaging all five senses in marvelously dreamy flights of fancy. Creane acts as a tour guide, storyteller, and tea sommelier. Sitting in front of a small table with an electric burner and a glass tea kettle, she prepares four different teas for the audience to try (it's optional if tea isn't your thing). While she's making each tea she explains its history and proper preparation, weaving in entertaining and poignant anecdotes about her late father and memories of the achingly beautiful scenery of the arctic landscape. Her timing is impeccable. By the time she starts walking around, pouring tea into everyone's cups, it's the perfect temperature for sipping.
With each sip, Creane draws the audience further under her spell. She might invite everyone to whisper their hopes and dreams into their cup, or contemplate their own death as they drink. At a few points, Creane goes to a shelf behind her filled with bowls of dry tea leaves and chooses one by some method only she knows. She then offers it to certain audience members to sniff and savor while they answer an impromptu question. Somehow it all makes sense within the confines of her pocket dimension. When she asks you to close your eyes, you willingly obey. The loss of one sense only heightens the others—the scent and taste of the tea, the feel of the warm cup in your hand, the recorded sounds that enhance Creane's guided meditations.
It seems counterintuitive, but sometimes the most personal pieces of art can be the most relatable. At one point in the show I found myself connecting with Creane on an unexpectedly deep level and it felt like getting the wind knocked right out of me. Without getting into the details (it's a bit of a spoiler and not really pertinent to this review), let's just say it stirred up a reservoir of emotions I didn't even realize were there. I still haven't recovered from it, and I'm not sure I ever will. I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.
Every performance of Tea Party at the End of the World is different, shaped by audience participation and each individual's response to the material, so I can't say this existential experience will be universal for everyone who might attend. What I can say is that this is a special piece of theater that challenges you and might even change the way you think about things like life, grief, truth, beauty, what really matters at the end of all things, and, of course, tea.
Tea Party at the End of the World has concluded its West Coast tour, and is available for additional tour booking.
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