Soho Theatre – until 23rd September 2026
Reviewed by Mike Linane
3***
Following a hugely acclaimed, sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominees Crybabies (Michael Clarke, James Gault and Ed Jones) have transferred their newest show, The Scaring, to Soho Theatre’s Main House until 23rd September.
The trio has joined forces with Olivier Award winning Fleabag and Baby Reindeer producers Francesca Moody Productions and director Jon Brittain (Baby Reindeer, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!), to present a terrifying tale of fear, faith, fathers (dads), fathers (priests), fantoms (phantoms), and finally moving on.
When former priest Arthur Holland checks into a remote hotel, he soon finds out it’s not just the breakfast buffet which poses a threat to life. Forced into an unlikely double act with Gerry, the ghost of a long dead guest, Arthur must tackle demons both public and private under the watchful eye of Mr Lyle – the hotel’s Norman Bates-esque manager.
With absurd characters, classic horror tropes, and a plot that twists itself into ever stranger territory, The Scaring combines Crybabies’ signature blend of surreal sketch, narrative ambition, and theatrical mischief. Expect Shakespearean zombies, broken armed serial killers and walking waxworks, in a frightening tale where not everything is as it seems. Or rather, as it screams. Despite the chaos, it all makes sense.
The Scaring moves at a breakneck pace, with Crybabies shapeshifting through dozens of roles and whiplash-fast costume changes – often within the same scene. The sheer number of characters, the speed of the switches, and the fact that the audience somehow always knows exactly who’s who borders on the miraculous.
The show embraces a sharp visual ambition, with moments of genuinely slick theatricality – but it never loses the ramshackle brilliance Crybabies are known for. Expect high drama built from low-budget nonsense: costumes assembled from scraps, effects powered by suggestion, and set pieces that are both ridiculous and ridiculously effective. It’s big-budget horror on a shoestring; ambitious, theatrical, and still held together with gaffer tape.
The three actors work their socks off throughout this performance and clearly don’t mind how plain daft they are made to look with some of the most ridiculous looking costumes I have ever seen on stage. The pace is relentless with one gag chasing another all evening.
The first night audience lapped it up and so will you if you like your comedy to be wacky, zany, plainly ridiculous and without a hint of subtlety to it then this is most certainly the show for you.