Is It a Cake or a Biscuit? A Jaffa Cake Musical Explores the Age-Old Dessert Question

Is It a Cake or a Biscuit? A Jaffa Cake Musical Explores the Age-Old Dessert Question

Sam Cochrane on how the real-life legal debate over Jaffa Cakes inspired Gigglemug’s comedy musical.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with nearly 3,500 shows. This year, Playbill is in Edinburgh for the festival and we’re taking you with us. Follow along as we cover every single aspect of the Fringe, aka our real-life Brigadoon!

In the back of Pleasance Courtyard, just off the kid friendly play area, an identity-shattering debate is being held. Titled A Jaffa Cake Musical, the show endeavors, once and for all, to answer a question that has plagued Brits and sweet lovers alike for decades; what, exactly, is a Jaffa Cake?

Inspired by the 1991 tribunal which determined the taxable identity of a Jaffa Cake, the comedy is the newest offering from award winning comedy troupe Gigglemug. Known for creating a variety of comedy musicals that poke fun at British institutions and brands, A Jaffa Cake is the companies first independent production, which does its best to shed light on one of the most bizarre and heated legal battles in recent history. 

The popular handheld confection—which consists of a Genoise sponge base, a layer of flavored jam (most often orange, although special flavors are produced upon occasion), and a coating of chocolate—faced ruin or salvation in Her Majesty’s Courts as they fought to defend their status as a cake rather than a biscuit/cookie, which are taxed at different levels. 

Eager to get to the sweet center of the conflict, Playbill checked in with writer, producer, and star Sam Cochrane. 

How long have you been working on A Jaffa Cake Musical?
Sam Cochrane: I’ve been working on A Jaffa Cake Musical for a couple of years now, basically since our previous show RuneSical finished at the Fringe in 2022. We were lucky enough to be selected for MTFest earlier this year too and so for the first time ever we got to workshop the show before getting it on its feet!

What inspired you to musicalize this particular trial?
What I love about this story is the fact that it is absolutely ridiculous, and yet it’s taken very seriously in the courtroom, so you end up with brilliant lawyers debating the silliest of things. It was obvious to me that this had to be a brand new comedy musical!

Where do you, Sam, fall on the great divide?
Having researched all the arguments at length, I think both sides are totally valid, however, should McVitie’s ever wish to collaborate with us on this project, I will have to say that a Jaffa Cake is a cake!

What was your road to Fringe?
This is the first time we haven’t worked with an organization in some capacity to create a show, having previously staged Timpson: The Musical (based on everyone’s favorite high street shop Timpson), RuneSical (a musical parody of the online game RuneScape), and Scouts! The Musical (created in collaboration with the Scouts). This has been our signature formula for the past six years and so a big challenge for us was seeing whether we could mount a musical on our own. Fortunately, over the years, we’ve built up a bit of a name for ourselves in the musical comedy world, which made securing a really great venue possible; I think that, general intrigue, and a strong title has helped us get A Jaffa Cake Musical in front of so many people!

Why is it important to you to return to the Fringe year after year?
The Fringe really is like nowhere else, the opportunities for exposure are unparalleled and for that reason you have the chance to premiere something which could reach mainstream media and audiences of thousands.

What’s been the most difficult part about performing this particular show in the Fringe so far?
The show is all-sung, which means we manage to fit in 30 songs in total! The challenge for me as an actor/writer is remembering everything, whilst simultaneously not singing other people’s lines!

What has been the most rewarding part about performing in the Fringe?
We’re currently selling out everyday which I could never have imagined, we’ve sold out shows previously at the Fringe but never on a daily basis and it’s so nice to know that people are not only enjoying the show but telling others about it too.

What’s something you’ve learned over the years about doing Fringe that you wish you had known year one?
Preparation is key, I’ve been planning this show since our last Fringe run and I think that’s in part what’s made it such a success. That said, I think the beauty of Edinburgh, like all great theatre festivals, is learning by doing; the hardest thing is throwing yourself into the deep end but that’s the best way to get a theatre-making masterclass.

What other Fringe shows would you recommend that people go see and why?
For families Gary Starr’s Monkeys Everywhere is joyous, and of course you have to check out our friends at Showstopper! Our cast members Alex Prescot and Katie Pritchard also have their own brilliant solo shows too.

A Jaffa Cake Musical is running at Pleasance Courtyard’s Pleasance Two through August 26. Get tickets here.

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A Jaffa Cake Musical At The Edinburgh Festival Fringe