How To Make A Mess Review: Nigella musical has the perfect recipe for success
- Emma Knott
- 22 minutes ago
- 3 min read
09 June 2026 I 19:30 I Upstairs At The Gatehouse, London
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite
I think I've found my idea of heaven, in the form of a quaint pub in Highgate with a theatre tucked away above it. Known as Upstairs At The Gatehouse, the venue currently houses How To Make A Mess: A Totally Unauthorised Love Letter To Nigella Lawson with book, music and lyrics by Emily Rose Simons.
From the moment I heard the title, I chuckled at the concept and speculation of what exactly a Nigella-inspired musical might entail (beyond the obvious ode to Britain's culinary icon!). And while there are plenty of laughs, this production directed by Grace Taylor is far more than comedy.
Beneath its playful premise lies a deeply moving exploration of grief, loneliness and fractured family relationships, as well as the comfort that can be found in food. A two-person musical can feel like a daunting prospect; the exposed format leaves nowhere to hide, placing immense responsibility onto its performers. Here however, it proves to be the show's greatest strength.
Upstairs At The Gatehouse is quite the powerhouse of a theatre despite its modest size. The stage has been transformed by Christianna Mason, as set designer, into a fully realised apartment. It is centred with a working kitchen, audiences are seated around the action as if we have been invited into Anna's (Natasha Karp) home: the atmosphere is warm and wonderfully immersive.
Anna, played superbly by Natasha Karp, is in her mid-late twenties, and she is first introduced having returned home from celebrating her birthday with friends. Tonight is supposed to be her night. The opening number All Mine immediately showcases Karp's musical strength and personality. It is upbeat, funny and full of energy, until the sudden interruption of a phone call that her estranged mother is dying. The emotional shift is handled delicately, with an appropriate reprise of All Mine slowed down and vulnerable.
She clearly doesn't know how to process her feelings, leaving her unsure how to navigate the impending loss. But everything changes when she discovers an old Nigella Lawson cookbook on her counter, and through her comforting words, Anna finds a source of solace when she desperately needs it.
From those pages emerge a fabulous manifestation of Nigella herself, from a bedazzled cupboard and a disco ball! Tanya Truman's performance captures her mannerisms, cadence and unmistakable presence without slipping into caricature. Rather than serving as a comic device, Nigella becomes a nurturing maternal figure, teaching her not just how to cook, but how to reconnect and care for herself. These two leading performances are sensational, and their chemistry with each other and the audience is comforting.
The fully-functional kitchen is one of the production's most impressive achievements, becoming an active part of the storytelling. We watch Anna preparing meals (with real food!) under Nigella's guidance. This is especially captured in the song You Have No Idea, when Anna becomes frustrated and has a food fight with herself (we had to dodge some low flying eggs!). The recipes featured are taken directly from Nigella's cookbooks, bookmarked in the programme for audience members to try themselves.
Emily Rose Simons' score is highly memorable, showcasing energetic and engaging numbers (Welcome To My Kitchen) and the profoundly honest such as How To Eat, a finale that explores how food becomes tied to the memories of the people we love. Supporting the performance is a glorious three-piece band, comprised of David Merriman, Josie Campbell and Ruth Whybrow who are bundled into the kitchen through the show, providing a rich musical accompaniment that never overwhelms the narrative.
The delightfully ridiculous and deeply emotional compliment each other through How To Make A Mess, beautifully crafted, whisked and baked into a touching new musical. It finds a painfully relatability, particularly for those navigating adulthood while longing for the reassurance of a parent, speaking to a generation that is expected to have everything figured out. Fronted by two performers with exceptional emotional range, vocal confidence and clarity, its intimacy Upstairs At The Gatehouse highlights the healing power of human connection and food. You might even be tempted to reach for a cookbook when you get home!
Playing until the 28th June: https://www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com/
