Dad begins pestering Anna with phone calls, prompting her to hide her phone in a very empty fridge. Cue the appearance from a cupboard of a very camp Nigella, played by the musical’s producer, Tanya Truman.  The imaginary version of the TV chef challenges and pushes Anna to confront her grief, which she denies is even there. She teaches her to cook – but mostly teaches her to eat and thereby reconnect with who she is and where she comes from. 

The score takes us on a journey.  There are comic songs, heart-breaking songs and those that tell us more of the story, both of Anna and also of Nigella, who herself had a difficult relationship with her mother.  Equally, the set and lighting all play their part in the narration.  The empty cupboards and fridge, miraculously fill with food – kudos to the creatives backstage!

The challenge with any characterisation of a well-known person, especially one that is an imaginary friend is that there is rarely a possible development for the character.  We expect Nigella to be camp – Truman does that. We expect innuendo – we get that. We expect the seductive looks to camera, or in this case the audience.  They’re very present.  But beyond that, Nigella’s character doesn’t have far to go.  In fact there are moments when Nigella’s lines don’t land and receive the laugh that I think the cast expects.