Tag Archives: Rob Gathercole

SCOUTS!

★★★½

UK Tour

SCOUTS!

Hope Mill Theatre

★★★½

“will warm your heart and bring a genuine smile of delight”

Enter the high-stakes, competitive, life-affirming world of scouting, where we join the competitors preparing for the final of ‘The Scout Games’. The winning of the only ‘gold badge’ (hand stitched by Baden-Powell) is the goal of both the scouts on stage and the audience members (scouts and leaders themselves at this performance) who are game enough to join in a range of hilarious tasks. However, there is a saboteur at large, a disillusioned and ‘poor loser’ Scout from a previous ‘games’, intent on causing mayhem and discrediting the very core reputation of the organisation. Through many trials and catchy numbers too, good triumphs over evil, the power of true friendship wins through and we all learn what is important in life and in the scouting movement: to help other people, make friends and learn new skills.

Gigglemug Theatre worked closely with the Scout Association and has tried here to capture the essence of scouting, from the gaining of social and life skills amongst children who might otherwise feel ‘outsiders’, to the chaotic world of camping, competing for badges (real and, here, imagined, such as the ‘hypnosis’ badge) and learning how to win and lose gracefully.

Sam Cochrane (director) made some memorable decisions (the gold dust sprinkled gold badge, for one). Katie Pritchard as Rosie brought great physicality and comedic timing to her role, with superb vocals from both Eleanor Fransch as Eliza and Emily Kitchingham as Charlotte. Burhan Kathawala charmed as the somewhat vulnerable but ultimately brave Joe. Kemi Clarke led the pace and energetically portrayed scout leader Dylan. Rob Gathercole (also musical director / keyboards) was in his element playing the over-the-top and improbably talented (being skilled in many areas including healing missing limbs) Linus Lionheart, the TV personality and former scout who was the role model for the competing scouts. The cast all played multiple instruments and were on stage almost the whole time. At times, the number of instruments and changes was a distraction to following the narrative and I would have preferred to listen to the vocalist perform without a guitar, for example. However, this does not take away from the recognition of the multiple skill sets required for this audience-engaging performance, with the pace only struggling a little in the second act.

The musical numbers feature an enjoyable range of genres, from 1950s style rock and roll, to rap and pop. Definitely not ‘found a peanut’ singalongs, the music is carefully crafted by David Fallon (music and lyrics) and Sam Cochrane (book, lyrics and direction) with solos, duets, and ensemble multi-part numbers being used to advance the plot and characters as well as to introduce many favourite themes loved by scouts, such as the ‘scout law’. Indeed, the lyrics were so full of information that I did spend some time trying to catch each word and wondering if I needed to remember the facts being dropped in. Perhaps the relative complexity of some of the music and plot was a mismatch for the younger members of the audience, but ‘The Trance Dance’, ‘Bad Badge’ and ‘Home’ were particular favourites.

The set (three drop down banners) was cleverly simple and effective for this touring production, which was needed when the stage is so full of musical instruments – I counted eleven plus a kazoo! Using three ‘tree stumps’ for the awards also gave an interesting stage height difference when needed.

Gigglemug Theatre’s touring production of their latest feelgood musical theatre show, is a fun exploration of the core positive messages of scouting, which will warm your heart and bring a genuine smile of delight, whilst enjoying the frolics of this energetic cast of actor-musicians.



SCOUTS!

Hope Mill Theatre the UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 14th June 2025

by Lucy Williams

Photography by Benkin Photography

 

 


 

 

Previously reviewed by Lucy:

SLAVE: A QUESTION OF FREEDOM | ★★★★ | THE LOWRY | October 2024
WAR HORSE | ★★★★★ | THE LOWRY | September 2024
EDWARD’S TALK: WHAT’S DRIVING YOU? | ★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
GODFATHER DEATH: A GRIMMS’ MUSICAL | ★★★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024

 

 

SCOUTS!

SCOUTS!

SCOUTS!

A JAFFA CAKE MUSICAL

★★★★

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

A JAFFA CAKE MUSICAL at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

★★★★

“It’s a very fun, very silly hour of musical comedy that’s super self-aware and makes the most of this”

Following their previous musical hits Timpson: The Musical and RuneSical, Gigglemug Theatre are back, this time with a musical based on one of the nation’s favourite biscuits… sorry, I mean cakes. This musical comedy uses the real-life case of the 1991 tribunal in which HMRC took Jaffa Cakes to court, claiming that they needed to pay VAT as the product is a biscuit, not a cake (which are exempt from this particular tax). It’s actually a pretty interesting court case, which you can read all about online. But if a musical is more your thing, then definitely make sure to catch this one.

Kevin (Sam Cochrane) is a lawyer, having disappointed his parents who wanted him to pursue a career as a musical theatre performer (a running gag in the show). He’s the defence in this case, up against Katherine (Sabrina Messer) as the prosecution. The task is simple: Kevin has to convince the judge (Alex Prescot, also on keys) that the Jaffa is in fact a cake, not a biscuit. On the way, he has to battle with the presence of the evil Tax Man, played by the utterly hilarious Katie Pritchard.

The songs are super upbeat, starting with the fabulous opening where the cast belt out ‘Is it a cake or is it a biscuit?’. The silliness is very much there from the start, as the actors come on wearing brown and orange costumes, on a set that is fully painted in Jaffa-cake branded colours. There’s a really nifty set design from Lauren Jones with three semi-circular set pieces which are used to setup the court and then moved around in one number to create different shapes, with a very clever use in the final scene that I shan’t spoil (although you may be able to guess!).

The lyrics (also by Sam Cochrane) are witty, playful and downright silly, with lines like ‘What if I wind up dead? / What if I crap the bed’ setting the general comic tone of the whole show. The standout song comes from Pritchard, who sings about being the ‘Tax Man’, a deliciously dark and funny villain number with some incredible riffs. The songs are matched with quirky choreography in Ali James’s production which gives a zany cartoonish type quality to the characters that’s a lot of fun to watch.

There’s also a surprising amount of heart in this story. I don’t know if it’s just the fringe-fatigue, but the show gets proper emotional at the end, with the cast singing out ‘If a cake can be a biscuit, you can be anything’. Who would’ve thought a musical about Jaffa Cakes would give me goosebumps? As well as the standout performance from Pritchard, Prescot shows off his multi-talented skills, playing the Judge and other supporting characters to great comic effect, whilst also on keys for most of the show.

It’s a very fun, very silly hour of musical comedy that’s super self-aware and makes the most of this. A great pick for a day at the Edinburgh Fringe.

 

A JAFFA CAKE MUSICAL at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Pleasance Courtyard – Courtyard Two

Reviewed on 17th August 2024

by Joseph Dunitz

Photography by Ben Wilkin

 

 


A JAFFA CAKE MUSICAL

A JAFFA CAKE MUSICAL

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