Real-life couple Matt and Carole Weilding play rivals in The Great British Bake Off Musical at Harrogate Theatre
Recreating the popular reality TV show, the Harrogate Phoenix Players’ production of The Great British Bake Off Musical introduces the audience to fascinating contestants, each with their own unique story to tell.
Hippy Dezza, a passionate environmentalist, lives on a canal boat. His interest in baking began, unusually, through a chance encounter with illegal substances. A confirmed vegan, you won’t find any butter or cream in his cakes and he is proud to give everything he cooks a plant-based twist.
Competing against him is Italian fashionista, Francesca. Taught to cook by her Nonna, her style couldn’t be more different as her food is full of rich flavours from her native Bologna. The connection with her family through baking comforts her through personal tragedy and loss.
Fierce rivals in the Bake-Off Tent, Dezza and Francesca are a couple real life. They are played by Matt and Carole Weilding who married in August.
Matt and Carole have appeared together in several Phoenix productions with roles including Lamb Chops and Shlomo in Fame, the seemingly ‘normal’ Beinekes in the Addams Family and Quasimodo’s parents Florika and Jehan in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Matt describes Dezza as ‘a Marmite character’. He admires his determination and persistence, something they have in common.
Recently, Matt created his own ‘showstopper’; a Hogwarts Castle made from thirty chocolate cakes and dozens of gingerbread panels, the construction of which can be seen on YouTube.
Carole always knew she wanted to play Francesca if the opportunity arose. She loves her warmth and compassion for others which masks her inner sadness.
Her song Grow will move the audience to tears. She is perfecting her accent with coaching from an Italian colleague at Ashville Prep School where she leads music and drama.
Matt and Carole saw the show in the West End two years ago, loved it and cannot wait to appear in it together on the stage.
The Harrogate Phoenix Players are sponsored by Mama Doreen’s Emporium in Harroagre and support Martin House Hospice.
The Great British Bake Off Musical runs at Harrogate Theatre from Wednesday March 18 until Saturday March 21, daily at 7.30pm and a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.
Tickets: 01423 502116 and https://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/