★★★★★ 5/5 – An Absolutely Showstopping Performance!
Review by Ben Tuffin
I’ll start with a confession. I don’t like The Great British Bake Off.
There. I’ve said it.
I know, I know. It’s a national institution. Millions of people love watching someone have a nervous breakdown because their Victoria sponge has developed a slight lean to the left. But it’s just never been my cup of tea. Or slice of cake, for that matter.
So when Andover Musical Theatre Company (AMTC) announced that their next production at The Lights would be The Great British Bake Off Musical, I can’t say I was exactly bursting with excitement.
Although, now that Nigella Lawson has joined the television programme, I suppose I could be persuaded to watch it. On mute, obviously.
But here’s the thing. I absolutely LOVE Andover Musical Theatre Company.
I’ve watched countless productions over the years, and I genuinely don’t think people realise just how ridiculously talented this bunch of local performers are.
They have a rather impressive track record of taking shows I have absolutely no interest in seeing and turning me into their biggest fan.
In fact, AMTC have had the pleasure — and I use that word loosely — of popping my theatrical cherry on more than one occasion.
Fiddler on the Roof. WOW.
The Sound of Music. WOW WOW.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert. WOW WOW WOW!
And yes, before anyone asks, I had genuinely never seen any of those productions before. Not on stage, not on the silver screen, nowhere.
I had never seen The Sound of Music. I know. Apparently, that’s a criminal offence in certain theatrical circles.
My ideal musical would probably involve The Godfather, Scarface or Rambo. Imagine the choreography. The costumes. The machine guns. The emotional ballad from Tony Montana about his little friend.
I’d buy a front-row ticket tomorrow.
But AMTC have this wonderful ability to take me completely outside my comfort zone and leave me wondering why on earth I hadn’t discovered these shows sooner.
So, despite my complete lack of enthusiasm for the television programme, I headed to The Lights with an open mind and one burning question.
Could this talented bunch really turn a television baking competition into something that would entertain me for an entire evening?
The short answer? YES. ABSOLUTELY YES!
A Recipe for Something Rather Special
From the moment the curtain rose, it was clear that AMTC had once again put together something special.
The set looked fantastic, the costumes were wonderful, and the music was an absolute treat.
But what surprised me most was the story.
I went in expecting a musical about people making cakes. What I got was a genuinely engaging production full of humour, heart, romance and some surprisingly emotional moments.
Yes, I laughed. A lot.
And, rather embarrassingly, there were moments when I could feel myself getting a little emotional.
Me! Ben Tuffin! Nearly shedding a tear over a musical about baking.
What on earth is happening to me?
The beauty of this production was that beneath all the flour, fondant and competitive cake-making, there was a genuinely touching story about people, relationships and finding something special in the most unexpected places.
And the cast delivered it beautifully.
Love Is in the Air… Along with a Bit of Flour
One of the real strengths of the show was the chemistry between the performers.
Ellie Woodman, playing Gemma, and Craig Saunders, playing Ben, created a wonderfully believable relationship that gave the production genuine emotional depth.
Their performances felt natural, warm and convincing. You found yourself genuinely invested in their story, which is no mean feat when you’re surrounded by people obsessing over pastry.
But I have to give a particularly special mention to young Amelia Croft, who played Ben’s daughter, Lily.
What an incredible young talent.
Amelia absolutely nailed her performance.
Her stage presence, singing ability and emotional delivery were outstanding. There was something wonderfully authentic about her performance, and she held her own brilliantly alongside the more experienced cast members.
It’s one thing to sing well. It’s another to make an audience genuinely feel something.
Amelia managed both.
If this is what she’s capable of now, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for her.
Remember the name, because I suspect we’ll be hearing plenty more about Amelia Croft.
The Judges Have Arrived… And Someone Deserves a Hollywood Handshake!
Of course, you can’t have The Great British Bake Off without the judges.
And what a pairing we had.
Bex Rungen took on the role of Dame Pam Lee, while Martin Lambert played Phil Hollinghurst.
Martin delivered a brilliant performance as Phil, capturing the character’s presence and humour beautifully.
But Bex?
Bex Rungen was an absolute showstopper.
She commanded the stage with confidence, impeccable comic timing and a performance that had me thoroughly entertained.
And here’s something that makes it even better.
It wasn’t until after the show that I discovered it was Bex playing Dame Pam Lee!
Now, I’ve seen Bex perform before, but she was so convincing in the role that I genuinely hadn’t recognised her.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call getting completely lost in a character.
Bex, take a bow. Or a Hollywood handshake. You’ve certainly earned one.
The Presenters Keeping Everything Nicely Proved
Every baking competition needs presenters to keep the chaos under control.
Well, as much as you can control a tent full of competitive bakers having emotional meltdowns over soggy bottoms.
Chloe Donovan, playing Kim, and Laura Bean, playing Jim, were both excellent.
Their performances brought warmth, humour and continuity to the production, helping everything flow naturally from one scene to the next.
They worked wonderfully together and were the perfect ingredients to keep the show moving.
A Tent Full of Talent
And then we come to the bakers themselves.
What I particularly loved about this production was how each character brought something different to the stage.
There was no sense of anyone simply making up the numbers. Every performer had their own personality, their own moments and their own contribution to the story.
Will Nias, taking on his first major role as Hassan, looked completely at home on stage.
He took to it like a duck to water.
Or perhaps a duck to a well-greased baking tray.
There is clearly something in the Nias family genes when it comes to theatrical talent, because Will delivered a confident, engaging performance that suggested this certainly won’t be his last leading role.
Laura Woodman, playing Izzy, brought some fantastic sass to proceedings.
And that voice!
Laura once again demonstrated what a wonderful singer she is, delivering a performance packed with personality, confidence and vocal talent.
She knows how to command attention when she steps forward, and she certainly didn’t disappoint.
John Clay, playing Russell, Chip Philo as Dezza, Carol Robinson as Babs and Anna Gaman as Francesca all brought their own distinctive talents to the production.
Each character had something to offer, and each performer made the most of their opportunity.
The humour, the individual personalities and the interactions between the contestants helped create a wonderfully believable group of people.
You genuinely felt as though you were watching a group of strangers gradually become part of something special.
And let’s not forget the ensemble.
A production like this relies on far more than its principal cast, and the ensemble played a huge part in bringing the entire show to life.
Their energy, enthusiasm and commitment added real depth to the performance.
The chemistry across the whole company was obvious, and that is something you simply cannot fake.
The Secret Ingredient? The People Behind It All
Something I’ve always admired about Andover Musical Theatre Company is the sheer amount of effort that goes into their productions.
It’s easy to sit in the audience, enjoy a fantastic evening and forget that these are local people who have spent countless hours rehearsing, learning lines, perfecting choreography, building sets, preparing costumes and bringing everything together.
They aren’t doing this because they’re being paid enormous West End salaries.
They’re doing it because they love theatre.
And that passion shines through in absolutely everything they do.
The production team, musicians, backstage crew, costume department, technical team and everyone else involved deserve enormous credit.
Because what appeared on that stage at The Lights was polished, professional and thoroughly entertaining.
There are productions with considerably bigger budgets that could learn a thing or two from this company.
The Final Verdict – A Star Baker Performance!
So, did Andover Musical Theatre Company manage to change my mind about The Great British Bake Off?
Well, let’s not get carried away.
I’m still not rushing home to watch people argue over the structural integrity of a profiterole tower.
Although Nigella might yet change my mind.
But did AMTC take a show I had absolutely no interest in and turn it into an evening of fantastic entertainment?
Without a shadow of a doubt.
They made me laugh, they made me care about the characters, they impressed me with their singing and acting, and they very nearly made me cry.
And most importantly, they reminded me once again why I love this company so much.
They have a remarkable ability to surprise me.
Every time I think, “I’m not sure this one’s going to be for me,” they come along and prove me wrong.
It’s becoming rather annoying, actually.
I mean, how am I supposed to maintain my reputation as a grumpy, cynical bloke when these talented people keep making me smile?
Once again, Andover Musical Theatre Company have delivered a production full of heart, humour and exceptional local talent.
And once again, I’ve walked out of The Lights feeling incredibly proud that we have a theatre company of this calibre right here in Andover.
My verdict? Beautifully baked, perfectly presented and absolutely no soggy bottoms in sight.
AMTC, you’ve done it again.
And I’m more than happy to eat a very large slice of humble pie.
Now, about that musical adaptation of Scarface…
Say hello to my little musical!
