HOW TO MAKE A MESS
Upstairs at the Gatehouse
★★★
“the show is full of joy”
Some may argue that no subject nowadays escapes the ‘musical’ treatment. Consequently, few eyebrows are raised at the prospect of a new musical based around a cookbook. Nigella Lawson prefaced her critically acclaimed “How to Eat” by declaring that she wants to ‘make you feel that I’m there with you in the kitchen, as you cook… the book that follows is the conversation we might be having’. She could never have foreseen the directions that conversation would take, however, in Emily Rose Simons’ musical, “How to Make a Mess”.
Simons does place Nigella firmly in the kitchen though. In fact, she magically emerges from the cupboards; more Fairy Godmother than Domestic Goddess. Uninvited and unwelcome, she lodges herself in the imagination of Anna (Natasha Karp) who has just received the news that her estranged mother has died. She is leafing through Nigella’s book while ignoring her absent father’s phone calls, concentrating on negotiating the initial stages of grief. The last thing she needs right now is culinary advice. Tanya Truman’s Nigella, however, has other ideas as she intrusively reads Anna’s text messages and criticises her empty fridge. Turning therapist, she is on a mission to outstay her welcome as long as she can.
It is impossible for Truman to ignore the obvious mannerisms, expressions and double-entendres but, even with a striking physical resemblance, she avoids caricature. Probably because she can sing so well. As can Karp. The main ingredient of the show is the music, which the pair perform beautifully. The songs have a more varied recipe than the script, but neither rise to their potential. The mastering of making mayonnaise is a thin metaphor for managing grief. The lyrics are a mix of the upbeat and comic with introspection and poignancy. Often the passion in the vocal delivery oversells the subject, but the performances of Truman and Karp are a pleasure to watch, especially when witnessing the transitions from chicken-roasting to gin-soaked wallowing and back again. They avoid awkwardness through their sheer commitment to the roles.
Karp portrays Anna with conviction and a strong presence. Her backstory is slender, but she does her best to garnish it with nuance and we can believe her initial reluctance to face up to herself. Less believable is the catalytic influence of Nigella. But where integrity falls short, the comedy comes to the rescue. “It’s not a chicken sandwich – it’s a journey” announces Truman, displaying a flair for comic timing.
The journey’s destination is in plain sight, but it is still a satisfying, if slightly sugary, dessert. Directed by Grace Taylor, the pace is jaunty and cleverly staged around Christianna Mason’s set in which kitchen cupboards magically replenish themselves and Nigella appears and disappears like a gastronomic genie. Musical Director David Merriman’s three-piece band are on hand, enlivening the fairly indistinct musical numbers. Truman and Karp sing and act with a versatility that engages us throughout and despite the central theme of grief, the show is full of joy.
“How to Make a Mess” is actually more about how to clean up the mess that’s already made. But there is too much emphasis on the presentation so that the ingredients fail to result in the delicacy we were expecting. It has been taken out of the oven before it is ready.
HOW TO MAKE A MESS
Upstairs at the Gatehouse
Reviewed on 9th June 2026
by Jonathan Evans
Photography by Danny Kaan
