The Great British Bake Off Musical

In an entirely new musical to me, and having never seen the TV show, Ferryhill Stage Society served up a thoroughly warm, engaging and uplifting production of The Great British Bake Off Musical, a show which I learned celebrates community, courage, friendship and the quiet bravery of ordinary people stepping into the spotlight. From the opening moments, it was clear that this company had approached the piece with real affection and an understanding of the gentle humour and emotional honesty that sit at the heart of the musical.

Much praise must go to director Kayomi Koya, whose leadership was evident in every detail of the production. This was a carefully considered piece of theatre, shaped with confidence, clarity and kindness. Kayomi had clearly thought through not only where people needed to be, but why they were there, ensuring that every movement, reaction and transition helped to tell the story. The result was a production that felt cohesive, well-paced and full of purpose, while still allowing the performers room to breathe and enjoy the warmth of the material.  Faye Rogerson as Musical Director had clearly worked very hard on the vocal harmonies and delivery which was able to be enjoyed throughout, with clear diction from all and also cast gaining confidence and singing beautifully.  Much credit to the pair of them for such a considered presentation.  Rounding off the all female production tripod was Abby Monaghan as choreographer, delivering well rehearsed considered pieves amply enuuring the various baking utensils made it into the production. Really well done ladies.

The simple but effective set worked extremely well. It gave us the recognisable world of the Bake Off tent without ever becoming over-complicated, and this allowed the focus to remain exactly where it should be: on the characters and their journeys. The staging made good use of the space and created a clear performance environment, with the practical demands of the show handled smoothly and with a pleasing sense of organisation.  Flour was of course used throughout as an essential prop much to the merriment of the audience and stage manager Charley Stamp ensured all was where it should be without any baking or other mishaps!

One of the great strengths of the production was the way the individual contestant storylines were allowed to land. Each baker arrived with their own hopes, worries and reasons for entering the tent, and Ferryhill Stage Society found the heart in those stories. The characters were not treated simply as comic types, but as real people with something to prove, something to overcome, or something to discover about themselves. This gave the production genuine warmth and ensured that the audience cared about the people behind the bakes.  There was a  really strong sense of fun and commitment, with performers supporting one another well and maintaining the pace and energy required by the piece. The humour was handled with charm rather than exaggeration, and the more heartfelt moments were given sincerity and space. This balance is not always easy to achieve, but here it created a production that was both entertaining and touching.

Gemma played by Danielle Beck was a gorgeous character to see develop, the shy carer who yearns for more fulfilling her ambition and developing a beautiful sincere love story with widower Ben played by Ian Patterson.  Both were stunning vocally whilst delivering a real authentic story of humble and real personal development. Hallie Koya playing Ben’s daughter Lily was a beautiful character on stage, managing sass with sincerity and humbling dad Ben all in one beat (with an impressive consumption of candyfloss throughout).  I’m sorry I missed Jessica Harland who played Lily on alternative evenings, whom I have no doubt was equally as excellent. Hanan played by Lyndsey Rowell was a lovely positive character played very well with the lucky t shirt shaping their success, Izzy played by Faye Rogerson, the ambitious and ruthkessly determined contestant who will win at all costs, Babs played by Debbie Doidge was one we all could relate to, such a lovely portrayal, Francesca was played by Robyn Watson and brought the house down with such an authentic version of “Grow” portraying the character’s experience with infertility.  Delivered beautifully and from the heart.  Proud of you Robyn.  We then also had contestants Russell played by Jake Marshall who played an utterly superb flamboyant character part and Dezza played by Sharon Brown who had the audience of fits of laughter with her antics.

Bake off could not be Bake off without the hosts and of course styled on recognisable characters from the show Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, we then had Elsie McGowan playing Pam and David Hardy playing Phil who made a fabulously charismatic pair and hosts Kim played by Vicky Tweddle and Jim played by David Stothard who kept the pace, innuendo, humour and momentum throughout.  Really well done every one of you.

It was also very encouraging to see a real continuing improvement at Ferryhill. There was a noticeable confidence in the storytelling, a stronger sense of discipline in the staging, and a clear willingness from the whole company to rise to the challenge of a modern musical with multiple character arcs and plenty of technical demands. This production showed growth, ambition and a renewed assurance, and that is something the society should be very proud of.  I’m certainly extremely proud of you all.

Musically and dramatically, the evening had many enjoyable moments, with the cast embracing the show’s mixture of comedy, sentiment and ensemble spirit. The production never lost sight of the fact that The Great British Bake Off Musical is ultimately about people: people taking risks, making mistakes, finding confidence and discovering connection. That heart came through very clearly.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable and heartwarming production from Ferryhill Stage Society. Congratulations to Kayomi, the production team, cast, crew and everyone involved. This was a production that rose beautifully, and one which should give Ferryhill Stage Society great confidence as they continue to build on this very positive step forward.

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