It's a rare thing for press shots to effectively encapsulate the entire atmosphere of a performance and, to an extent, the character of the performer. I was actually working on a shoot with make-up artist Monica Storrs when she showed me some of the images from her shoot with Rachel for Camellia and the Rabbit. Being a huge fan of both tea and dressing up, the images filled me with the sort of glee you rarely get to experience as a grown-up. So I'm thrilled to say that Rachel's show is coming to London! Here she chats to me about the history of tea and theatre, rabbits, the Ritz and wearing sugar-cube shoes. Put the kettle on and read on..

Katie Antoniou: Tell us about how you came up with the story of Camellia and the Rabbit?

Rachel Snider: It started with an image. An image of turning myself into a human cup of tea. I then worked with the brilliant Polona Baloh Brown, my dramaturg, in turning this image into a performance piece. I realised that tea drinking had a powerful presence in my life. It is the first thing I drink in the morning. It is what I turn to in a crisis. It's what I offer to strangers and a way that I love to share time with my dear ones. The ritual of tea is important to me. It calms and assuages me; it is my solace. But tea is also an occasion in itself and way of celebrating. As I began interrogating my own relationship with tea I realised that tea had a broader resonance. It is embedded in our national identity. So much so that we regard "tea time", that tiny meal, in between meals, that isn't really a meal, as a meal in it's own right. The history of tea is also fascinating. From the Opium Wars to the emancipation of woman tea has played an integral role. In a time when we are ever busier and more isolated I think taking a moment of reprieve over a cup of Assam is crucial. The simple act of sharing a pot with someone can be a beautiful communion. Camellia and the Rabbit was created from all of this. The show is comprised of a series of biographical stories that all feature tea in some way. These stories are linked together with factual stories from the history of tea in this country. Each story is marked by part of my tea costume and by the end I turn myself into a human cup of tea.

KA: Your incredible costume for Camellia and the Rabbit was designed by Petra Storrs who's created masterpieces like Lady Gaga's stained glass dress. How important is it for you as a performer and theatre maker to have the right costume and props?

RS: It is crucial to the work. As a theatre maker I have always put an emphasis on things that are often regarded as secondary, for example the costumes. I treat the developing of costume and props as an equal strand in the making of the piece as a whole. Of course, the story is the most important. The costumes and props have to serve that. I have worked with Petra to create props and costume that correspond to and juxtapose with the story being told. It has been amazing working with Petra. Not only is she absurdly talented but she also understands that the props are working objects. They are not museum pieces. They have to function. For example I have to be able to move in my sugar cube shoes. Petra was really sensitive to this and not precious at all about it. I only hope that the show does all her beautiful work justice!

KA: You have worked with Polona Baloh Brown as your dramaturg, Petra did your costume and her sister Monica Storrs did your make-up for the shoot with photographer Becky Palmer- do you make a conscious effort to work with other female creatives, or does it just happen organically?

RS: Working with all an all female creative team was by no means a conscious decision, however I feel that it has imbued the work with a uniquely female perspective, of which I am proud. And I have loved working with this team of creative, talented, brilliant woman. Theatre is a collaborative art and their influence and presence is very much part of this work.

KA: What's your favourite place to have tea in London? And who would you most like to have tea with- dead or alive, real or imaginary?!

RS: Oooo. Now this is a nice question. I love nothing more than going for tea in London. I think for classic decadence you can't beat Afternoon Tea at the Ritz. I find going there a transporting experience. Time stands still in that Edwardian oasis. There are no clocks and it is as if the air has turned to rose and the light to gold. This is, of course, entirely deliberate. Cesar Ritz felt that the lighting in hotels was crucial. His wife detailed how she would have to sit for hours at a time while he tried to work out which shade of lighting was most effective. Apparently a delicate apricot pink was considered the most becoming!! I would like to see the resurrection of the old Lyon's tea rooms which were an accessible and more of an every day place to take tea. And my grandfather was a great fan! Perhaps the question of who one chooses to have tea with is even more important than the location. The cherry on the afternoon tea cake is, after all, having an one on one conversation with a person of your choosing. If I were to have a dream tea party a possible guest list might include: Diagheliv, Ann Boleyn, Lewis Carrol, Charlie Chaplin, Tony Benn, Joan of Arc and Doris Lessing. That would be interesting!

KA: You've performed with real rabbits when assisting a magician- is that the strangest job you've had?

RS: I talk about this very subject in the show. When I was at Jacques Lecoq theatre school in Paris I had a job on the side as a magician's assistant. To hear the full story you have to come to Camellia and the Rabbit.... I have had endless jobs. From the sublime to the ridiculous and to the horribly mundane. I have been a waitress dressed as a giant fork, a data inputter, receptionist, seller of cashmere socks...And this is before we even talk about performance work.

KA: Theatre seems to be evolving quite fast at the moment with more and more companies like PunchDrunk pioneering interactive, experimental theatre- do you think people are bored of traditional productions?

RS: I think it is an exciting time in theatre. Historically in times of depression audiences numbers have increased. I think this goes beyond escapism. I think it is because we have a very human need to some how come together and to share. We crave that communion. Perhaps the excitement of an interactive experiences comes from that need for a live visceral connection rather than the safe predictability of a more traditional form? However I also think it is important to note the artists that have come before. To honour the work they have done. Site specific work and interactive work is not new. Without the radical work of artists in the past the amazing work we see now would not be happening. I am endlessly excited and inspired by the work that is being made at the moment and by the brilliant current and emerging artists and companies. Punch Drunk are breath taking and astounding in the work they make. Story telling and theatre is one of the most ancient traditions. We need it. In whatever medium or style or form it takes, we are all in search of that moment of connection between performer and audience.

KA: Are you interested in exploring other media like TV and film, or is it the live element of performance that you love?

RS: I love live performance. However cinema is also one of my great passions. I don't feel bound by one discipline and am excited but the endless possibility that cross disciplinary work allows.

KA: Where do you see yourself in ten years' time?

RS: I just want to still be making my own work! 

Catch Rachel's show Camellia and the Rabbit on 4th October at Toynbee Studios