Nigella Lawson serves as inspiration for this charming two-woman musical
Theatre is like cooking: text on a page is alchemised into something tangible and, with just a few simple ingredients, real magic can be made in the humblest of settings. How to Make a Mess, currently running Upstairs at the Gatehouse, uses lovely duets, impressive culinary choreography and clever design to illustrate how art and food nourish us.
Anna (an acerbic Natasha Karp), a London millennial whose days consist of brunch with friends, casual dates and having Gail’s coffee delivered, has her world knocked sideways when her estranged mother passes away. Dodging sitting shiva with her father and his other family, Anna stews in her empty kitchen when suddenly her saviour arrives: a singing spectre of famous television chef Nigella Lawson (Tanya Truman, who also produces here). The musical, written by Emily Rose Simons and directed by Grace Taylor, follows Anna’s grief journey under the guidance of Lawson’s tome How to Eat, wherein Nigella fills her kitchen and teaches her how to take care of herself and reconnect with her roots. And how to make mayonnaise.
