Brock students give The Great British Bake Off Musical ‘all the right ingredients’

Actors, dancers, singers, musicians, designers and technicians from across Brockenhurst College joined forces to stage The Great British Bake Off Musical at Brock’s Kemball Theatre this week.

The show ran over four consecutive nights, encompassing a cast of 26 lead roles and an ensemble of 20 students from across the College.

It featured a crew of 22, who completed the production as part of their Foundation Production Arts courses, as well as a live band, supported by staff from the Performing Arts and Music Department.

Tickets sold out in record time, adding to the sense of anticipation and general buzz on campus.

To keep the show fresh every night, organisers decided to go with TWO separate casts – the Cake Cast and the Bread Cast.

Taking the leading role of Pam in the Cake Cast was Summer Shearing, from Holbury, who studies the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts.

Summer said: “The Great British Bake-Off musical is fun, energetic and such an exciting experience.

“As my last communal performance at Brock, it has been emotional, but full of so much joy.

“Playing my role in the production has widened my skill set, and I have met a bunch of kind and caring people.

“We are very supportive no matter the outcome, and for me personally, I could not have gotten through this show without every member of this production.”

The Great British Bake Off Musical charts the journey of eight contestants on the hit TV show, as they share the ups and downs of fierce competition and grow as people.

It blends the TV format with personal stories, friendships and struggles, as well as light humour and, of course, the music.

The show was directed by Curriculum Leader for Performing Arts, Music and Dance, Moira Rock, who was joined by Chris, Course Leader for Dance, as choreographer

Piano teacher and accompanist Vincent Shaw worked as musical director for the project.

Moira said: “This group has gone above and beyond to make this show an electrifying, feelgood event with a very positive message.

“The chemistry among the students has been magnificent – they have given the show all the right ingredients.

“As in the television programme, success is sweet, failure is frequent and resilience is essential.”

“This time of year is always a highlight for the department, showcasing the talents and skills of the motivated students we are lucky enough to work alongside.”

The musical was written by Jake Brunger, and Pippa Cleary, whose mother lives locally and was keen to attend the closing night on Thursday.

All profits from the show will be reinvested in the Performing Arts and Music department, helping to support the overall teaching and learning experience for students, both present and future.