A new musical inspired by the culinary philosophy of Nigella Lawson will premiere in London this June, offering a blend of food, grief, and personal growth. Titled How To Make a Mess: A Totally Unauthorised Love Letter to Nigella Lawson, the production will run from June 4 to June 28, 2026, at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, a cozy venue in Highgate.
Theatrical Journey of Cooking and Healing
Written and composed by Emily Rose Simons, with direction by Grace Taylor, the musical explores themes of grief, transformation, and self-nourishment through the lens of food. The story centers around Anna, played by Natasha Karp, who grapples with the loss of her estranged mother. After inheriting a copy of Nigella Lawson’s cookbook How to Eat, Anna encounters an imagined version of the celebrity chef (portrayed by Tanya Truman), who guides her through her emotional journey with recipes and wisdom.
“This show is a love letter to Nigella Lawson,” Simons remarked, explaining that Lawson’s approach to cooking—embracing pleasure, memory, and comfort—had a profound influence on the musical’s development. Through Anna’s journey, the show seeks to explore how cooking can help us heal, rediscover joy, and let go of societal pressures.
The production’s origins trace back to earlier works titled Becoming Nigella, which underwent work-in-progress performances at venues such as the Oxford Playhouse and the Manchester Jewish Museum. These early iterations allowed Simons and her team to refine the musical’s balance of humor, heart, and culinary philosophy.
Throughout its run, the musical will showcase the comfort and symbolism of food, with the imagined Nigella acting as a comforting mentor, helping Anna navigate loss and personal change. In addition to offering emotional insight, the musical uses cooking as a metaphor for self-care, encouraging Anna to trust her instincts and embrace nourishment both physically and emotionally.
Tickets for the show, which will run for just over three weeks, are already on sale. Prices range from £18 for previews to £27 for the final performances. The production’s press night is scheduled for June 9, 2026, providing an early opportunity for audiences and critics to experience the theatrical event.
As London’s theater scene continues to evolve, this musical promises to be a standout, blending culinary wisdom with emotional depth. Fans of Nigella Lawson, food enthusiasts, and theatergoers alike will likely find How To Make a Mess an engaging and transformative experience, inviting them to reflect on life, loss, and the small pleasures of everyday cooking.
