Take a bunch of tuneful strangers. Mix in a dollop of behind-the-scenes skulduggery, a Sound Man playing detective, a sprinkling of star-crossed love, and plenty of juicy arpeggios. Marinade, cook for 60 minutes… and serve hot. The result is a mouth-watering fusion dish, combining the beloved TV show and a sumptuous original score to form Come Dine With Me: The Musical – a winning recipe that will delight even the pickiest palate! (Warning: May Contain Spice.)
One of the nation’s favourites, is now a musical! Corr Blimey spoke with Sam Norman & Aaron Nihal King about the new Come Dine With Me The Musical ahead of its Edinburgh Festival Fringe run.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
Absolutely! Come Dine With Me is a national treasure. But what goes on behind the cameras?
Our (fictional) musical hones in on the TV crew in a pickle. They’re shooting a milestone episode of the much-loved cooking show, but they suspect one of the contestants is sabotaging their rivals’ food. Who could it be? The Sound Guy is tasked with tracking down the culprit – but, to complicate matters, the prime suspect might just be his childhood crush.
Mix in some divas, a splash of romance and a sizzling score, and the result is an irreverent musical comedy that’ll leave you craving seconds!
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
Total melting pot. Nell Butler and Genevieve Welch are TV veterans who worked on Come Dine With Me for years and developed the initial concept of the musical. We’re musical theatre writers, and Nell – who had seen some of our previous work – brought us in to breathe life into the concept. And we were lucky enough to be picked up by impresario Paul Taylor-Mills, who has taken us from page to stage and introduced us to a fabulous team of collaborators.
After some developmental concept performances at the MTFest last year, we couldn’t be more excited to be giving this baby her world premiere this summer!
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
It’s the best. Combine relentless overstimulation with no sleep, six shows a day, an insane step count, and a lot of rain. We love it.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
Is it only 3000? Come see Come Dine With Me for a lot of laughs, a dash of mystery and plenty of friction in the kitchen!
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
An uplifted heart, an urge to cook for your friends, and enough earworms to annoy the whole family.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…
Our dream is to take our little cooking musical to every corner of the country. However, anyone who thinks that pineapple belongs on pizza will be refused entry.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
Relaxation is for the weak! We want to see every musical we can sniff out – I Wish You Well, Silence! and the new My Son’s a Queer spring to mind – but we’re in for the full shebang. Sign us up for slam poetry, street entertainment, stand-up comedy, interpretive dance, the weirder the better.
In your ideal world, how can we improve the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
Specifically in the world of musical theatre, there’s a ton of talent and plenty of individuals working hard to bring it to the stage. But we need more funding for ambitious institutions so they can offer long-term support to MT writers and other creatives. Wouldn’t it be great to walk down the West End and see a street full of British musicals? And doubly great if more musicals could be developed and produced regionally, reflecting the true diversity of talent around the country?
Interested in being featured on our Have a Gander page? With many previews and Q&As lined up, we’re always happy to chat about including your show in future articles. Please do get in touch through the contact page to feature in an upcoming ‘Have A Gander’