The Tiger Who Came to Tea certainly wasn’t a king. But he did act like one, eating and drinking everything in little Sophie’s home. You can buy London theatre tickets to watch this brilliant show today, and why not throw a tea party of your own before or after the trip? Let’s take a look at how to plan one fit for a king.

1. Gather The Essentials

Firstly, gather all the essential tea party equipment. If you have a tiered cake stand, dust it off and make it the centrepiece for all your delicious treats. If you don’t have one, you can find one in a charity shop or homeware store. The next thing you’ll need is chinaware. This can be completely mismatched for a bohemian ‘hip’ look, so don’t worry about sourcing identical cups and saucers. It’s also a good idea to get hold of some beautiful teapots with a range of interesting designs. These can be filled with different flavours of tea. Use a little place card to label the different teas you’re serving.

Other tools you need are baking utensils, napkins, cutlery and maybe a pretty tablecloth. A nice idea is to push three small tables together, placing a different coloured tablecloth over each. This adds a bit of colour and interest to your party setting.

1. Set the Scene

Once you’ve got all the basics, you can start to lay the table and go to town with decorations. Bunting works well at a tea party, or iIf you’re feeling extra creative, why not have a go at edible bunting biscuits? Flag-shaped cookies iced in your favourite colours can be threaded through a length of string and hung up - just make sure you make two holes at the top of each biscuit before (and just after) baking.

1. Offer a Variety of Teas

To make your tea party fit for a king, make sure you offer a variety of teas. Ideas include Earl Grey, chai, peppermint, camomile, fruit, herbal and, of course, English breakfast. When the sun’s in the sky, iced tea can also be a welcome and refreshing party addition. To make your life easier, put sugar, honey and a little jug of milk on the table so people can help themselves.

1. Serve Delicious Food

One of the most important decisions to make is what food to serve. Triangular sandwiches with the crusts cut off are a real winner, but always assemble them just before your guests arrive to avoid them going soggy. If you assemble them a few hours in advance, cover them in cling film to keep them as fresh as possible. Sandwich ideas include the classic cucumber, egg mayonnaise and cress, salmon club, BLT and paneer cheese.

Freshly made scones served with jam and clotted cream are a must for a tea party, as are mini cakes. If you’re not a great baker, simply visit your local patisserie for eye-catching treats. You could also serve up a variety of tea cakes and buns with different flavoured jams and real butter.

Tea parties are great and yours is sure to be less chaotic than welcoming a tiger into your home. Your kids will love the London show, however. So book your London show tickets today for a roarsome day out at The Tiger Who Came to Tea.