A Jaffa Cake Musical – Pleasance Courtyard

While A Jaffa Cake Musical is by no means the most extravagant musical at the Fringe, you’d be hard-pressed to find a show that fills you with more child-like glee. Based loosely on the 1991 trial in which the nature of a Jaffa cake (not biscuit) was decided, Gigglemug’s new musical is hilarious, surprisingly informative, and filled to the brim with catchy songs.

The story mostly follows Kevin, played with giddy optimism by Sam Cochrane, who is the defence lawyer hired by the Jaffa Cake company to prove that Jaffa Cakes are indeed cakes not biscuits. In typical musical fashion, Kevin’s parents are devastated he chose to become a lawyer rather than an actor: ‘Why would you want stability when you could be performing in a musical?’ His rival, Katherine, is the far more accomplished of the two, and is heading the prosecution. She has fulfilled all the dreams her parents had for her, and yet is still unloved by them. It’s surprisingly moving for such a fun and silly show. On a quick side note, while A Jaffa Cake Musical is absolutely family friendly, there are plenty of clever innuendos to keep all the adults entertained. I won’t give them away, but how the cast managed to sing them whilst keeping a straight face I have no idea.

The cast are superb and are all given their moment to shine. Perhaps my favourite moment being when Katie Pritchard, the Tax Man, delivered the best song about taxes since The Beatles. A special shoutout must go to Alex Prescot, who is not only hilarious, but plays the music for almost the entire show on his keyboard. They all have wonderful chemistry, and their evident enthusiasm was infectious. I really don’t think it would be possible to watch this show and not grin from ear to ear.

The costumes and set are all Jaffa-Cake themed, which helps create an atmosphere of fun the show has in abundance. I was particularly amused by the orange court railings! Everything, from the dance choreography to a dramatic voice over which opens the show, is in service of building this atmosphere. Gigglemug are aware that this is a silly musical, and they want you to lean into it. In my opinion, you definitely should!

Overall, this is a spectacularly fun musical. It’s not trying to be the next Les Mis, and that’s fine. Not all musicals need to be dramatic, jaw-dropping extravaganzas. Sometimes, they can just be a hilarious examination of the nature of a Jaffa Cake. A Jaffa Cake Musical is running at 3:10pm every day for the rest of the fringe. Do yourself a favour and give it a watch before it’s too late!

P.S. I still think they’re biscuits.

Reviewer: Ben Pearson

Reviewed: 20^th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: