Before Tom Fisher had to return to the US his friend took him to York to enjoy high tea at Betty’s famous tearoom, and we get to tag along. The premise is that simple, yet the results are utterly charming. From the writing to the production, it’s just good radio. The brief history of high tea is interesting, but it’s the many pleasing little humorous details—like the incomprehensible sound of voices over the train PA on the train ride there, the bizarre names of the tea time confections-- that makes this more than merely educational. It actually leaves you feeling happily in the mood for tea. This could be dropped into programming about food or travel.
Review of An American at Betty's
Jonathan Goldstein
Posted on October 31, 2004 at 01:45 PM
Before Tom Fisher had to return to the US his friend took him to York to enjoy high tea at Betty’s famous tearoom, and we get to tag along. The premise is that simple, yet the results are utterly charming. From the writing to the production, it’s just good radio. The brief history of high tea is interesting, but it’s the many pleasing little humorous details—like the incomprehensible sound of voices over the train PA on the train ride there, the bizarre names of the tea time confections-- that makes this more than merely educational. It actually leaves you feeling happily in the mood for tea. This could be dropped into programming about food or travel.