Theatre and Cake Prove To Be a Great Mix Once Again

The sun graced the West End Bake Off again on Saturday, 19 May. In its fourth edition on the grounds of St. Paul's Church in aid of Acting for Others, the event was in its best form so far.

Fans and supporters of London's theatre scene showed up to celebrate the art and help a good cause. Judges Christopher Biggins, Wendi Peters and Ruthie Henshall crowned Young Frankenstein as this year's winner.

With their scarily gorgeous bounty, the ensemble makes up for the major loss at the Olivier Awards, as jokingly pointed out by Biggins when Lesley Joseph stepped up to accept the prize.

But the show was hardly the sole winner of the day. Among wonderfully bad puns and precariously balanced cakes, the Bake Off's turn-out is always spectacular. Newcomers Hamilton and Everybody's Talking About Jamie stood proud next to veterans like Les Miserables and The Mousetrap (who won the very first edition in 2015).

Many took the Royal Wedding theme in stride and produced tall, multi-tiered desserts in suitable fashion. From Jamie's gown-like centrepiece to Les Mis's vertically divided wedding cake dedicated to Marius and Cosette, and from The Book of Mormon's wittily named pastries to The Comedy About a Bank Robbery's goods - which were allegedly stolen directly from the festivities in Windsor - all the productions brought out their best.

While many conformed to the theme, others decided to pay their respects to their own shows. Chicago did a fierce job with their substantial cake in the shape of a chair, topped with a bowler hat for good measure. Chess' 'Michael's Protein Balls' can't go unmentioned, as they were the judge's main source of laughter when they visited their stand.

Not ones to disappoint anyone, the bakers catered for a range of tastes: gluten-free and vegan items were sold in almost every booth, creating a friendly and inclusive environment for all. Raffles and a tombola were held to promote donations, as well as an auction sponsored by Hamilton; the warmth of the day cheekily prompted some of the male cast members to go shirtless, which, in all honesty, everybody knows often helps causes.

The major West End shows were joined by the ever-present loyalty of The Stage and the Theatre Café, who joined Iris Theatre in support. Maybe the mainstream inclination of the new productions or the splendid weather are to be thanked for this, but this year's Bake Off might have been the most glorious one so far.

Benefitting organisations like Actors' Children's Trust, The Theatrical Guild, The Dance Professionals Fund, and many more, Acting for Others managed to raise more than £9,500 with this year's event alone.

More than a joyous get-together for theatre aficionados, the West End Bake Off is always a great opportunity to advocate awareness. Here's to the next one, which will doubtlessly be - and taste - even better!

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