Come Dine With Me The Musical is a great time. Didn’t really expect it to be on my list of things I was doing this week – but then again, nothing really is expected anymore, and I didn’t expect to sit third row, and I didn’t expect the show to be as good as it was, and I didn’t expect to have a musical theatre boy stare deep into my soul while we was singing and completely throw me off my cool.

I was glad to have a cider in my hand, not that it settled me much.

If Harry Chandler has no fans – I am in fact dead. New favourite actor, hands down. I enjoy looking at him quite a lot actually.

But back to the musical itself – the show starts before the show starts, and that is all I’m going to say. Don’t sit by the end of the row if you go to see this show, if you aren’t someone who enjoys a bit of audience participation.

I was enthralled by the performance. Yes, albeit sections were rushed but this is a 60 minute show – a very short time to introduce characters, develop the storyline and achieve the tension crescendo. Sometimes, it’s just nice to have a good night out – spontaneously, on a Tuesday night, after receiving a phone call because your best friend’s boyfriend had been let down by his group of mates.

★★★★★

There are references dotted throughout the show to iconic scenes we’ve seen in series past, from character names to actions and choreography.

It’s full of drama, and it’s also a love story.

You what?! Come Dine With Me?! A love story?!

That’s incredibly true, I’m afraid. Except I’m not afraid, because it’s very good. I can understand why many reviewers and critics would see this as a poor show, and feel disappointed, but lets be very honest, it was on stage at The Playhouse, not the West End, and so I just thoroughly enjoy it if the actors remember their lines (or at least bluff convincingly).

I do accept I am not a theatre-goer regularly, and I wish I did have the time, money, opportunity (and that the Norwich Theatre Royal didn’t have a ridiculous process where Friends of… get priority over all the tickets, and then if they sell out, too bad, the general public don’t get to see the show).

The ending did feel a little rushed – I feel they tried to cram so much entertainment into an hour long show – but overall it was done really well. There was incredible opportunity to have one big reference right at the end, if done right, but overall I wouldn’t say it’s a huge loss because the remainder of the show is as good as it is.

If I had the money and the free time (being a digital marketing apprentice working full time, studying her degree and volunteering on top of this too means it’s a little tight in places and it’s too close to payday for comfort) I would really love to go again.

Go see it for me – and say hi to Harry Chandler for me. A girl got shy and couldn’t bring up the courage to get a pamphlet signed after the show.

Come Dine With Me: The Musical is now showing for a run at The Turbine Theatre until the end of September 2024, London and you can purchase tickets online now.

Information from the show itself:

“Televising the good, the bad and the downright ugly when it comes to culinary competitiveness and unchecked hospitality, Come Dine with Me has the perfect ingredients for an irreverent musical with big laughs and a big heart.

This new musical, written by Sam Norman and Aaron King, highlights the chaos that follows clashing chef personalities, and looks beyond the meltdowns, the sore losers and stroppy winners to delve deeper behind the scenes.

Based on the much loved daytime TV show, Come Dine With Me: The Musical follows a film crew who enter yet another weekly contest. Having a fictional episode play out before us, the show is unafraid to uncover the truth behind the beloved show. Co created by TV producers Nell Butler (Airline; Celebrities Behaving Badly; You Be the Judge) and Genevieve Welch (Airline; I’m a Celebrity; MasterChef), who both directly worked on Come Dine With Me, this outlandish musical is a true insight into the heart – and hungry stomachs – of the show.

Despite the raucous drama that comes with every three-course meal, Come Dine With Me: The Musical is about the magic of human connection. Through fly-on-the-wall glimpses into the every-day lives of strangers and people coming together (with the odd tantrum), it is a show that taps into the nosey instincts of audiences, whether they’re coach potatoes or theatregoers.

Writer Sam Norman comments, “Prepare your tastebuds! We couldn’t be more excited to serve up a feast of laughter, song, and culinary chaos. Join us for a deliciously entertaining musical that’ll leave you craving seconds!””