Marmalade sandwiches… now bear with me
This will make sense in a moment.
Last weekend, I found myself in the West End watching Back to the Future The Musical – partly for the joy of it (it really is brilliant), and partly to support one of my clients who’s been part of the pit band during its run.
There’s something quite special about a closing performance. The audience sees the spectacle, the cast take their bows, and everyone leaves on a high.
But, as ever in theatre, there’s a whole world behind the curtain that most people never see.
Because what keeps a show running smoothly isn’t just the stars on stage… it’s the network of musicians and performers who can step in when needed, pick up the part, and carry on as if they’d been there all along.
No fuss. No drama. No missed cues.
It’s an extraordinary skill and one that quietly holds the whole production together.
And if you’ve seen the headlines around Paddington The Musical recently (fresh from success at the Olivier Awards) you’ll know just how much goes into making these productions award-worthy in the first place.
Hence the marmalade.
(I did say bear with me.)
Watching it all play out got me thinking.
Because while theatre has this wonderful ability to adapt – to bring someone in, cover a role, keep things moving – not everything in life works like that.
Certainly not tax.
When I first started out, things were… a little more analogue.
My “tech stack” was a pencil, some paper, a calculator that made a very satisfying clicking noise, and possibly a hopeful glance at the stars if something didn’t quite add up.
It worked. Mostly.
Fast forward to now, and instead of a DeLorean whisking us neatly between past and present, we’ve got Making Tax Digital.
No flux capacitor.
No dramatic soundtrack.
Just quarterly updates and digital records.
Progress? Yes. Nostalgic? Not even slightly.
And here’s the thing. In theatre, if someone can’t make it, there’s a whole cast of talented people ready to step in. The show goes on.
With HMRC… I’m afraid it’s still your cue.
- There’s no dep for your tax return.
- No one quietly stepping in at the last minute to cover your lines.
- The responsibility still sits with you, whether you’re centre stage, in the pit, or juggling multiple income streams between shows.
Now, that doesn’t mean you have to figure it all out alone.
Because while I can’t replace you in HMRC’s eyes, I can make sure you know what’s coming, what’s needed, and how to stay on top of it, without it feeling like opening night with no rehearsal.
And, much like the theatre world, I’ve been quietly strengthening things behind the scenes too.
I’ve recently welcomed some brilliant new team members who share my love of working with performers and creatives and I’ll be introducing them properly very shortly.
It means even more support, more capacity, and a bit more resilience in the system.
Because even accountants need a strong cast around them.
So while there may not be a “dep” for your tax return… there is a team making sure nothing gets missed.
So yes… marmalade sandwiches.
And time-travelling DeLoreans.
And the quiet brilliance of the people who keep award-winning shows running without missing a beat.
But also a gentle reminder that while some worlds can adapt at a moment’s notice… others expect you to be ready, on cue, every time.
If Making Tax Digital feels less like a well-rehearsed show and more like you’ve been handed the script five minutes before curtain up, you’re not alone.
And if you’d like a steady hand behind the scenes, you know where I am.
Louise
The Singing Accountant
PS: And for those of you in the performing world wondering — yes, stepping in for others can have tax and VAT implications depending on how you’re working… but that’s a whole other show for another day.
You can read more about it here if you like – https://www.
