Illyria theatre & 12 ingredient cake

If Illyria plays in a garden near you, go see them. This troupe of travelling outdoor actors are so fantastically high-octane energetic, it will leave you wondering what medication are they on, and where can you get some of their stuff?

It could be the unmedicated high that comes from doing a complex job brilliantly; and they do perform this acting job, in and out of costume and character, with such pace, engagement, and simple whoosh, that you can't help but be knocked out by it. Even if Twelfth Night is very silly and pointless. They make this inconsequential pottage of a play fantastic, spirited fun.

I think, modestly, the same qualities - huge energy and enthusiasm bestowed upon nothing of significance - are delivered too, by Grit, in her fantastic Grit's! Twelfth Night Cake!

I should explain. It is becoming a sort of tradition round here. I mark each Shakespeare play with a cake.

Remember people, cake is the staple of the home educating family. It is all lessons all at once, from astronomy to zincography. Education is made easy with cake. You can explain anything with cake if you have a mind. Maths, French, Philosophy, Obscure histories of the print process, Shakespeare.

Romeo and Juliet themes are easy. Heart-shaped seductions, poured over with the poison of bittersweet-lemonsugar. (Or rum, if it's my slice.) Hamlet cake? Coffin shaped, iced black and sprinkled with flowers; slice it open to ooze out the strawberry jam. The Tempest cake will be similarly straightforward. When we see that play, I will conjure up a mash of confection, mix it all up, and blast it with stormy cocoa powder before casting a spell over the lot and sticking in some sparklers.

The Twelfth Night cake is a touch more difficult. It is a play about turning the rules upside down, subverting order and allowing the opposite to be true.

Thus for Grit's! Twelfth Night Cake! I have taken ideas of good judgement in all matters cake-related and turned them upside down.

Yes! This is it, Grit's! Twelfth Night Cake! in the actual process of bad judgement composition. Looking much, indeed, as if the dog had vomited amongst the Teflon.


There are twelve ingredients in Grit's! Twelfth Night Cake! I make the children guess what they are while they munch away and watch the play.








Just like the play, in Grit's! Twelfth Night Cake! there are some great bits and some frankly dodgy bits and a few moments of WTF.* But Grit, like Illyria, delivers the entire with energetic! spirited! enthusiastic! fun.**

*sugar, fat, eggs, flour, chocolate chips, sesame seeds, peanuts, orange peel, nectarine, raisin, date, coconut.

**Tiger disagrees. She says cake stew is not fun. Quit messing. Next time, just leave in the chocolate.