★★★★★
It’s the age-old question: is a Jaffa cake a cake or a biscuit? Personally, I’d lean towards a biscuit, but in 1991 they were officially deemed a cake following a VAT tribunal.
A Jaffa Cake Musical takes us back to the courtroom and puts these arguments forward in a fictionalised version of the tribunal. Fresh out of law school, it is up to Kevin (Sam Cochrane) to work with McVities’ Jake (Harry Miller) to prove to the Judge (Alex Prescot) that the sweet treat is a cake, not a biscuit. What seems like a simple case soon proves more complicated, as the Tax Man (Katie Pritchard) and fellow lawyer Katherine (Sabrina Messer) have built a strong case, and are determined to tear Kevin and his arguments down.
Gigglemug are well known for creating silly musicals, and have seen success with their Romeo and Juliet parody Timpson The Musical, along with RuneSical, inspired by the online game RuneScape. The infamous tribunal gives them lots of material to play with. Katherine presents strong arguments for the Jaffa cake being a biscuit, which includes its size, the product design, and the fact it is eaten with your hands, while cakes are eaten with forks (prompting Kevin and Jake to respond with a chorus of panicked “forks”). Kevin and Jake’s defence is weak at first, and even Kevin accidentally refers to them as biscuits, but with a little perseverance and teamwork, they put forward a firm case that could convince even the staunchest fan that Jaffa cakes are indeed cakes.
Unexpectedly, this bizarre show has moments of true poignancy. During ‘Who I Lived My Life For’, Katherine reveals that she never feels she can meet her parents’ expectations, and Kevin gently encourages her to live her life for herself, rather than her parents. It shows a softer side to the characters, in contrast with the cut-throat lawyers we expect to see in legal dramas. Kevin and Jake’s bond is also very sweet, with Kevin more than willing to apologise after insulting him during ‘The Confrontation’.
The cast is just as talented as they are funny, and the varied song list gives ample opportunity for them to demonstrate their vocal talents. Messner in particular shines whilst singing her defence songs; her range is as impressive as the dance moves and tricks that go along with them. She slips between the very different roles of lawyer and Greek chorus member effortlessly. ‘Tax Man’ suited Pritchard’s voice to a tee, and her fantastic riffs and solid dancing make the number a highlight of the musical. Although Prescot is mostly fixed to the keyboard at the back of the stage, his facial expressions are delightfully over the top and unwavering throughout the show.
With witty songs and an extremely talented cast, A Jaffa Cake Musical is definitely a show to put on your radar this Fringe. If you do go, be sure to bring along some Jaffa cakes: not only are you bound to fancy one after the performance, the company have organised a collection which will be donated to foodbanks.
A Jaffa Cake Musical will be performed at Pleasance Courtyard – Pleasance 2 from 1-26 August (not 13) at 3:10pm as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
Words by Ellen Leslie