Interview: Writer and performer Sam Cochrane on Gigglemug Theatre’s upcoming musicals
Family-friendly musical comedy creators Gigglemug Theatre are giving audiences another chance to see their two most recent hit shows this summer. Scouts! The Musical will make a four-stop UK tour, while A Jaffa Cake Musical will return to the Edinburgh Fringe after last year's critically-acclaimed run. We spoke to writer Sam Cochrane, who also directs Scouts! and performs in A Jaffa Cake Musical, to find out more.
Your musicals are inspired by a wide range of topics, from tax tribunals to Scouting! How do you decide what topics have the potential to be musical successes?
Although we often go for big brand-related titles, what it always comes down to is whether or not there’s a story there that needs to be told. In the case of A Jaffa Cake Musical, there was already such a fascinating real life tale which was so bonkers, it was just asking to be made into a comedy musical. As for Scouts! The Musical, I had always wanted to create a show about the Scouts because I felt it was such a strong concept and the organisation encourages a lot of the positive values which make up a good musical. In short, both of them were a no-brainer!
What was it like creating Scouts! The Musical in partnership with the Scouts?
The Scouts have been a dream to work with. They have put a lot of faith in us and given us a lot of creative freedom, which always allows for the best work. It has been a joy learning so much about a community which I have never before been a part of. They have also really embraced both our theatre company and our show with open arms. I think having the support of the Scouts really legitimises the production too as they are such a massive organisation, so it’s been a real honour to collaborate with them on this project!
A Jaffa Cake Musical received a great response from audiences and critics at last year's Fringe. Why do you think it was so successful?
We had a good feeling about A Jaffa Cake Musical but never could have imagined the response we actually received! We sold out the entire run which was a first for us at the Fringe and were lucky enough to pick up over 30 four and five star reviews. Part of the reason I think it did so well is because it’s a slice of pure escapism which people are craving at the moment, plus it’s such a Fringe-y concept - people go to the festival to see shows as wacky as ours!
What is the philosophy behind Gigglemug Theatre, and why do you think family-friendly theatre is so important?
‘Gigglemug’ means someone who is always smiling and we want to give audiences of all ages a chance to do just that. I think there’s a lot of brilliant family-friendly musicals and some fantastic comedy musicals out there too, but not as many family-friendly comedy musicals - which is what we create. We want our work to be as inclusive as possible and really appeal to all ages. Scouts! The Musical, for example, has both old folks and toddlers in the audience, which feels like a big achievement!
What's next for you and Gigglemug?
This is the final outing for both Scouts! The Musical and A Jaffa Cake Musical because we’re already working on our next two shows. We’re stepping away from the brands somewhat but these new productions are about universal concepts which are begging to become family friendly musicals and, of course, they will feature our signature zany comedic style too!
Finally, we have to ask: do you think Jaffa Cakes are a cake or a biscuit?
I couldn’t possibly say… We do give you a definitive answer at the end of our show though, so you’ll just have to come watch to find out!