Send in the Clowns makes a triumphant return to the Old Joint Stock stage this week, presenting a dazzling drag-cabaret ode to musical theatre - Little Flop of Horrors. The troupe comprises four top notch cabaret performers who provide belting vocals from start to finish (no lip-syncing here, thank you very much) and perform hits from musicals as you’ve never heard them before. 

This time, the wickedly talented quartet have gone to the dark side. Ever noticed that the baddies of musical theatre seem disproportionately Queer-coded? The Clowns have - and are out to set the record, erm, straight. The first half of the show features a cabaret-style selection of songs which prove that villains take many forms and that true evil has a price tag. Appropriately sloganed merch is available after the show. 

Being Send in the Clowns, there are serious moments amongst the show’s unbridled camp joy. No punches are pulled when big topics come up, including an earnest and thought-provoking plea, warning against apathy in the face of fascism. Alongside the merch table there is the opportunity to make a charity donation after the show. Well, money makes the world go around after all…

Cabaret legend Fatt Butcher leads the charge, and Alanna Boden is so good she can sing in harmony with herself. Blü Romantic takes on the burden of the masc roles, and Birmingham’s own Dahliah Rivers makes sure that the front row gets wet. Each performer has their own time to shine, but the moments when they effortlessly harmonize together are where the magic happens. 

After the interval, we are treated to a ‘20-minute musical’. If any fans of Little Shop of Horrors have been enticed to the show by the title, there are definitely treats in store - with abundantly horned-up horticulture around every corner. Blü and Dahliah are adorable (and obscene) as Seymour and Audrey, and while the props and costumes are brilliant from the off, Fatt’s final form as Audrey II is magnificent. 

In the cosy setting of the Old Joint Stock the Clowns are in their element. There’s nowhere to hide, for the performers or the audience, but don’t fret if you’re on the shy side. Apart from occasional moments of good-natured audience interaction, the crowd is mainly safe from being roped into scenes and musical numbers - unless you’ve opted for the coveted front-row cabaret seating. Little Flop of Horrors has the edge and delicious energy of spontaneous live performance, and the Clowns have poured love, care and sleaze into every moment.

Five Stars

Send in the Clowns: Little Flop of Horrors was reviewed on Thursday 11 September by Jessica Clixby at The Old Joint Stock Theatre, where it shows until Saturday 13 September

Image: @emwajones