Over a decade has passed since the the viewing world was blessed with ‘The Great British Bake-Off’, yet it has never failed to enchant its audience. From muffins to shortbreads, custard tarts to Victoria sponge and the full gamut of emotion, every episode of every series has been a treasure.
From the airing of the first episode, the Channel 4 series has inspired individuals across the country to give baking a shot! It was the magic of ‘Bake-Off’ that gave Pippa Cleary and Jake Brunger the idea to create a musical.
‘The Great British Bake-Off Musical’ premiered in July 2022, before beginning a run at the Noel Coward Theatre in February 2023 and concluding in May of that year. This September, Northern- based company, Patrick Productions graced Leeds Carriageworks Theatre with their adaptation of ‘The Great British
Bake-Off Musical’. Running for only three days, audiences raced to book their tickets.
The production was undeniably charming. With Dean Patrick as director and a spectacularly designed set that included the classic, pastel baking islands and shelves covered with teapots, it was wonderful to see them embrace the originality of the series itself.
To capture the true essence of the original series, Paige Smith and Alex Charlesworth played the wonderfully comedic hosts, ‘Jim’ and ‘Kim’, dancing around the set wearing complementary outfits and offering up innuendos to the camera.
The two were a TV match made in heaven! Yet, they were in serious competition with Terry Ford and Angela Fisher as the iconic TV baking masters, ‘Phil Hollinghurst’ and ‘Dame Pam Lee’. Playfully mocking the beloved Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith, their friendly banter and comedic remarks were an
absolute treasure to watch, the incredible teamwork between the two actors delivering a charming and impressive performance.
Although we adore our friendly TV hosts, this would not be ‘Bake- Off’ without the beloved contestants. With a small handful playing the competitive few, each character had their own unique personality and storyline. We were introduced to Kazia Gamble playing ‘Babs’, Joey Eden playing ‘Dezza’, Elle Barraclough
playing ‘Izzy’, Dan Lord playing ‘Ben’, Hussain Abbas playing ‘Hassan’, Emma Smith playing ‘Francesca’ and Katie Mitchell playing ‘Gemma’. To add a touch of cuteness, Juliet Rhodes played ‘Lily’, the sweet daughter of ‘Ben’.
The cast was absolutely overflowing with talent. Though a large majority of its members were making their theatre debuts, it was clear every cast member had taken their role seriously and spent time with their characters to understand who they were.
A character with bundles of personality had to be Joey Eden’s character, ‘Dezza’. Throwing themselves into the competition with colourful outfits and headstrong values on animal and human rights, the young competitors never failed to squeeze a chuckle out of the audience. With his refusal to leave the competition when asked and popping out from inside a fridge, Eden’s interpretation of the character was wonderfully memorable.
To make a perfect show, it’s important to have some sweetness to balance out the comedy. There were many incredibly sweet moments throughout the performance, yet a personal favorite must be the solo performed by Emma Smith. Singing to the audience about her challenges with IVF through baking
euphemisms, whilst holding her stomach, was a gut-wrenching sight to see. Witnessing a character as kind as ‘Francesca’ struggle to achieve her dream of being a mother left tears in the eyes of everyone in the theatre.
To round off to such a wonderful, heart-warming performance, I must highlight the effort and characterisation of the ensemble. Strutting on the stage in TV staff lanyards was the cherry on top
of this already fantastic sundae. Although it was such a small detail, it added to the immersion of the musical as a whole, making the audience feel that they were truly on the ‘Bake-Off’ set!
Before attending the musical, I was apprehensive that it might be just a ‘Bake-Off’ episode with songs attached to it. I’m happy to say, I couldn’t have been more wrong. ‘The Great British Bake-Off Musical’ is a warm hug in the form of a show!
Main image by Manuel Hartan. Images are taken from shows in previous years.
