A Cuppa with Mrs. Fortune

A Cuppa with Mrs. Fortune

What is behind the common Cuppa that we all enjoy?

A new show in the 2015 Fringe Festival explores the history of the humble leaf and its place in the fotunes of the British East India Company. Guests at A Cuppa with Mrs. Fortune will be hosted for afternoon tea by an interpretation of the real Mrs. Jane Fortune, wife to the man who stole the secrets of tea (and tea plants and seeds) from China for the British East India Company.

Robert's feat of intellectual property theft underpinned the development of tea plantations in India and ended Britain's dependence on Chinese tea.

In this entertaining and immersive theatre experience Jane will chat to guests over a cuppa while offering an entertaining conversational brew of colonialism, history, botany, theft, and espionage. At the end of the show, Jane will offer to read the fortune of her guests in their tea leaves – an entertaining pursuit that she has recently acquired.

Writer and performer Ania Upstill explains, “I first became fascinated by tea as a teenager, after moving to Wellington from California. We don't have a tea culture in the United States, and I was intrigued by the concept that adding milk before or after pouring the tea could possibly make a difference.

Recently I've been pursuing my interest in how food reflects our culture, and I thought that tea was a particularly interesting example of British cultural influence on food culture in New Zealand. Then I came across the story of Robert Fortune and fell in love. Plus, the name Fortune is just so perfect, and basing the show off of his story provided the perfect opportunity for tea leaf reading. It's incredible how many fortunes have depended on this humble camellia (tea's latin name is camellia sinensis).”

Sweet Pea in Petone on Wednesday the 4th at 4pm

Martha's Pantry on Thursday the 5th at 4pm and Friday the 6th of March at 4pm
Arthur's on Cuba on Saturday the 7th of March at 3pm and 4pm.

Guests are encouraged to pre-order Martha's Famous High Tea if they wish. Regular tea will be provided gratis at Martha's and Arthur's.

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