Introduction to Starter for Ten
Actor and former Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc feared that David Nicholls hated her performance in a stage adaptation of his debut novel Starter for Ten after catching him with his head in his hands. The 57-year-old stars in the Starter for Ten musical as Irene, the mother of student Brian Jackson, who wins a place in the Bristol University Challenge team.
The Story Behind the Musical
Giedroyc said Nicholls, who is known for his 2009 novel One Day, looked down at the floor when he attended production previews that led up to the opening night of the show. "We thought: ‘He hates that? Is he angry?’ It turns out that he actually cried. Tears [up]," said Giedroyc to Lorraine host Ranvir Singh on Friday (August 22nd).
The Author’s Reaction
Giedroyc called the author’s reaction to her performance a "nice thing" and added that the "delicate and life-affirming" show was in production for 12 years due to its original inspired score of eighties music. Starter for Ten is a coming-of-age musical from Nicholl’s bestseller novel and the popular film from 2006, in which James McAvoy played the leading role as Brian.
The Production Team
The musical had its premiere at Bristol Old Vic in February 2024 and ran for a limited run until March. It was nominated for the best music production at the UK Theater Awards this year. Starter for Ten returns to Bristol Old Vic for a month before going to the Rep Theater in Birmingham for another 10 nights. Production is staged by Charlie Parham, choreographed by Shelley Maxwell, and designed by Frankie Bradshaw.
The Connection to Other Works
Nicholls said in a statement when the show was first announced in 2023: "Almost 20 years after the publication, it is so exciting that Brian’s misfortunes are brought to the stage and by such a brilliant, dynamic team." Starter for Ten starts when Brian Jackson goes to university in 1985. He harms 1988 – in the same year – One Day’s characters Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew end their story in Edinburgh. Nicholls previously told the BBC that there is definitely a continuity between the two texts and that there are similarities between Emma Morley and Brian. "She would easily roll her eyes at him, but they would have things in common," he said.
