Review: Come Dine with Me: The Musical (Turbine Theatre)

 Review by Rosie Holmes

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Based on the hit TV series, Come Dine with Me: The Musical attempts to capture the charm and appeal of its television counterpart, bringing to life the quirky and competitive spirit of the original series, where contestants host dinner parties and rate each other’s efforts. Fresh off the back of an Edinburgh fringe run, the new musical is now serving up laughs at Battersea’s Turbine Theatre for the rest of September.

The musical opens with an introduction to the show’s production crew; matriarch Mary, the producer, nervously awkward Teddy, the soundman, and handsome Roy, the camera man. As they travel to the small English town of Little Stonking, Mary is feeling the pressure to raise the ratings and deliver something special for the series’ 1000th episode. The shoot is complicated when a saboteur strikes, destroying a triple chocolate sauce, tensions rise in the production team, and there is even a hint of romance.

This production feels reminiscent of 2023’s Bake-Off musical, using a nationally treasured show to create a musical that showcases and tells the stories of a number of sometimes heartwarming, sometimes catty, contestants. However, where Bake-Off managed to inject emotional depth and developed characters, Come Dine with Me seems to fall a little short in this regard. Unlike the rich tapestry of personalities we see on the TV screen, the musical’s characters lack the nuance and emotional resonance that would make them truly memorable. They are also lacking in some of the more sarcastic and competitive moments from the show, which have been immortalised in meme culture.

There are some clever nods to the memes and viral moments that have come from Come Dine with Me, such as the whisk in mouth moment, although I was very sad to see no reference to ‘what a sad little life, Jane.’  Where the show soars is in its clever lyrics by Sam Norman, light-hearted and silly, they illicit plenty of laughs from an audience clearly enjoying themselves. The songs, for the most part, are upbeat and enjoyable, though only one or two stand out as particularly memorable.

The cast are wonderful, however, perfectly nailing the comedic element of the show. Harry Chandler is a standout as the nervous and awkward sound man Teddy, providing an endearing and charismatic performance that showcases his brilliant vocals, particularly in a duet with love interest Janey, played by Sophie Hutchinson. Danielle Coombe plays show producer Mary with an almost pantomime villain edge, though she lacks a well-developed character arc that could have provided more depth to the role. Kim Ismay is a delight as the French-obsessed Barbara, adding a lot of fun to the proceedings. It does feel, however, like the characters are very unevenly balanced, and if the show has a future life, it would be wonderful to see all of the characters further developed.

Come Dine with Me: The Musical offers a playful homage to the TV show, but ultimately feels like it could benefit from a bit more seasoning in terms of character development and emotional engagement. For fans of the series, it’s worth a watch, but those expecting the scathing sarcasm present in the tv show might be a little disappointed. The show definitely has potential, there are some catchy songs and a wonderful cast, it just needs a little more bite to score a 10 out of 10 (or in this case, 5 stars).

Come Dine with Me: The Musical plays at The Turbine Theatre until 29th September, tickets and further information can be found here - Come Dine With Me | The Turbine Theatre

Photos by Mark Senior