Review: GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF - THE MUSICAL, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

The Great British Bake Off has become a staple of British television over the years. It is the epitome of family TV uniting people of all ages and cultures in their love of baked goods. The drama is humble; the dough that did not rise, the oven that wasn't turned on, the call for a medic to a cut finger. It is the gentleness of the drama that lures you in and pins you to your seat. A beautiful escape from the day to day norms into puns, dad jokes and a Slovakian pastry you've never heard of! Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary slightly miss the essence of the popular show in their musical adaptation.

Whilst the Bake-Off is for all, the musical adaptation is for the hardest of hardened musical theatre fans. The majority of the numbers are big showstoppers, complete with key changes and jazz hand endings. Which, in turn, means none of the numbers are showstoppers, the key changes lose impact and jazz hand endings tend to force a response as opposed to duly earning one.

Presented as the next series of Bake-Off that has yet to be aired, Alice Powers’ set delivers on the tent vibe, the brightly coloured kitchen aids and drawers of rolling pins and bowls pulls you into the space. Each of the characters are well defined and deliver essences of previous contestants; the competitive one, the clueless one, the gay one, the underdog etc etc.... Scott Paige and Jaye Jacobs are the saving grace of the production as presenters, Jim and Kim. 

Overall, its a pleasant evening and the talented cast do well with the material given, with moments of silliness and laugh out loud hilarity. The show delivers on puns and innuendos as expected of the Bake-Off tent. 

The signature bake needs a little tweaking and the technical bake has room for improvement, however, the elements are there and with a little more development, it could be a show stopper.

A little too sweet for us Besties, if you're a Bake-Off fanatic, give it a try.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Alanna Boden

Great British Bake Off - The Musical runs at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham until 6 August, with tickets available here.