In Ireland, Jaffa Cakes are legally classed as cakes, because they meet the criteria of moisture content being greater than twelve percent – it’s as simple as that. Trust the British, then, to have a cumbersome tribunal to determine whether, for tax purposes, Jaffa Cakes should be zero-rated or standard-rated. According to the UK Government website, “biscuits wholly or partly covered in chocolate (or some product similar in taste and appearance” is subject to VAT, whereas cakes are not.
On paper, then, it’s a terrible idea for a musical, as the arguments and counter-arguments fly back and forth – biscuits apparently go soft when stale, whereas cakes go hard. Jaffa Cakes go hard. But look at a Jaffa Cake. It looks like a biscuit, it’s the size of a biscuit, so it’s a biscuit. And so on and so forth. But told with great aplomb by an enthusiastic cast, it’s remarkably engaging stuff. It helps, perhaps, that the storyline proceeds at a brisk pace, with Alex Prescot’s Judge keen to keep things going in his courtroom.
Blink – let alone attempt to jot something down in a reviewer’s notepad – and you might just miss something crucial in an hour-long show that crams in thirty musical numbers: it’s that speedy. But if the ‘cake or biscuit’ debate wasn’t enough, the backstories of defence lawyer Kevin (Sam Cochrane) and prosecution lawyer Katherine (Sabrina Messer) are thrown in too, which, rather than being unnecessary distractions, cleverly provide the audience with something more than the ‘yeah but no but yeah but no but’ of the tribunal.
‘The Fork Song’ considers the assertion that cakes are (generally) eaten with a fork – I’ve never personally seen a Jaffa Cake eaten with a fork, which I suppose tells you where I stand on the matter int hand. Katie Pritchard’s Tax Man is clearly the antagonist in the show (somebody has to be), and I’m sure there’s another breakneck-paced show waiting to be written about HMRC and various frustrations businesses as well as individuals have with it. Messer’s Katherine wins in terms of her stage performance, demonstrating an impressive vocal range as well as some crowd-pleasing movements. Whether you dunk a Jaffa Cake into a cup of tea – you know, like you would a biscuit – or wouldn’t wish a Jaffa Cake on your worst enemy, there’s much to enjoy in this delightful and hilarious piece of theatre.
Review by Chris Omaweng
Jaffa Cakes are a British institution but their identity has always prompted debate, so Team Gigglemug, known for creating seriously silly musicals based on existing brands, set out to shed light on one of the most bizarre and heated legal battles in recent history. Whether you’re a Jaffanatic or have never even eaten a Jaffa Cake, this new musical takes the biscuit (or cake…?).
Cast: Sam Cochrane (Kevin), Sabrina Messer (Katherine), Harry Miller (Jake), Alex Prescot (Judge), Katie Pritchard (Tax Man)
Written by Sam Cochrane
Directed by Ali James
Musical Direction and Arrangements by Rob Gathercole
Lighting Design by Damian Robertson
Set by Lauren Jones and Georgie Sunter
Gigglemug Theatre presents
A JAFFA CAKE MUSICAL
Pleasance Courtyard at the Edinburgh Fringe
31 July to 26 August 2024
Shows and events booking now for Edinburgh Playhouse and for King’s Theatre Glasgow.
