History will now (literally) be brought to life at the National Gallery. The venue has teamed up with Past Pleasures, a costumed live historical interpretation company (try saying that five times!).
Officially appointed as an accredited supplier, Past Pleasures will contribute to the venue’s offering with its expert knowledge and historical character interpretations. And they’ll, of course, be doing it all in costume.
Creative director Kate Howard told us the company is bursting with ideas that will cover 1,000 years of history. ‘We’ll be able to provide someone from whatever period clients require,’ she said.
You can make the actors’ involvement and roles as bespoke as you want. Characters or period musicians can act as hosts, help welcome guests or mingle with them throughout. They can even give speeches or presentations, or put on a performance. You can keep it low-key, or you can really go to town.
Previous clients include the likes of Historic Royal Palaces (the team even played Henry VIII and his family at Hampton Court Palace), the BCC and the Museum of London, so these guys know their stuff.
The National Gallery can host events from meetings and conferences to gala dinners and receptions. With a capacity of up to 600, DDRs start at £67pp. Events using the Past Pleasures characters are entirely bespoke, with the price per actor starting at £500. Booking is now open.