Review: A Jaffa Cake Musical, Fringe 2025

A Jaffa Cake Musical is an unexpected courtroom comedy which interrogates whether the UK’s beloved snack is a cake or biscuit.

Vibe

The Forth at Pleasance Courtyard was packed for our afternoon performance with groups lining up early outside the theatre to secure good seats.

As we entered the space, the talented Alex Prescot welcomed us with a keyboard overture but there was little other set dressing to give away the direction of the next hour.

Expectations were high as I’d heard this show had sold out its entire run last year and was trending similarly this Fringe.

The show

The show was a brightly coloured romp with plenty of laughs as sparring lawyers attempted to settle the debate of whether a Jaffa Cake should be classed as a cake or biscuit for the purposes of charging VAT.

Loosely based on the true story of a 1991 tribunal, the show takes plenty of liberties with the plot, including our lead defence barrister disappointing his family by choosing to go into the law instead of theatre.

The music was catchy with impressive vocal performances from Sabrina Messer and Katie Pritchards, the latter of whom stole the show for me with her turn as the smooth-grooving “Tax Man” and additional skills on the saxophone.

The multi-talented band, who also functioned as a Greek Chorus, should also be commended on expertly moving us through several musical genre changes.

Overall

Overall this was a light hearted and fun day out which I’d recommend adding to your fringe calendar, particularly if you’re looking for something to entertain a range of ages and tastes.

Don’t forget to bring some spare change to donate to the Edinburgh Food Project at the end of the show to get a Jaffa Cake for a cause.