Come Dine With Me: The Musical Review Review

August 9, 2024

Come Dine With Me: The Musical Review

7th-12th & 14th-25th August 2024

With Book and Lyrics by award-winning rhymester Sam Norman, Music by Oxford First Class Honours graduate Aaron King whose professional CV is quickly becoming very impressive, and Co-created by TV producers Nell Butler (Airline; Celebrities Behaving Badly; You Be the Judge) and Genevieve Welch (Airline; I’m a Celebrity; MasterChef), who both directly worked on Come Dine With Me, Come Dine With Me The Musical comes to Edinburgh Festival Fringe between 9th – 25th August 2024.

A well-thought out set, the production team enters: Scary Mary the producer (Daniele Coombe- The Witches), heartthrob Roy the cameraman (Tom Bowen – Get Up, Stand Up) and Teddy the sound engineer (Harry Chandler – Les Misérables) who is afraid of his own shadow. They discuss the fact that Come Dine with Me is losing viewers and needs something unique to happen to keep it on the air.

“Come Dine With Me: The Musical is a delectable feast of a production. It’s a ten from me”

It is at this point we welcome in the contestants: Barbara (Kim Ismay, Wicked) – a midi-dress wearing well-spoken woman in her fifties whose whole menu is in French “I don’t compete, I’m just naturally better”; Ernest the vegan (Leo Udvarlaky – Bhangra Nation) – a 20-year old student activist; 24-year old Janey (Sophie Hutchinson – Heathers) who enjoys the odd glass of champagne and ‘Pork Pie Duncan’ (Paul Hazel – Avenue Q), who doesn’t accept protein in any form other than meat.

The filming starts and we are treated to each contestant’s menu choices, and a song to go with them. Every character is given a solo, and the chance to shine, and because of this we learn about each character. As the low scores for each meal roll in for every contestant, it transpires something sinister may be afoot – just what has happened to Barbara’s dessert?! Sabotage?! The production team suspects cheating, and sets out to discover what is going on behind the scenes.

The musical numbers are superb, and memorable. The lyrics and rhyming are second to none, and melodies and chord progressions just the tonic, with a live band adding to the ambience. Each and every cast member has a fantastically professional voice and when sung together, gave me goosebumps. A masterclass in how a musical should be directed. The script has just the right balance of humour, romance and satire – Come Dine With Me: The Musical is a delectable feast of a production. It’s a ten from me (well, five stars).

Rhea Shepherd