★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Roni

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

Suitable for ages 18+.

When you’re used to seeing a lot of theatre, both on a larger and smaller scale, it can sometimes be difficult to feel as though you’re genuinely seeing something new and exciting. Live theatre is always an experience, but every now and then something different rears its head that makes you say ‘that’s genius’. Enter: Send in the Clowns.

Send in the Clowns is a musical theatre drag revue show from Fatt Projects, a performance company focused on celebrating queer joy and creating spaces for people from all walks of life to come together and feel empowered. TW*TS is their latest offering; an assassination of the works of Andrew Lloyd Webber (and yes, it is as brutal as it sounds. Fans of the Lord should probably give this one a miss). The first half of the show comprises a cabaret of some of the best (or worst) songs from Lloyd Webbers’ back catalogue, alongside some camp hilarity ‘context’ for those who may not be as familiar with the plots of shows. This section took us through Evita, Sunset Boulevard, Jesus Christ Superstar, and unsurprisingly, Cats. The second act involves a 20-minutes-or-less performance of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, with limited rehearsal and which may or may not be using a lot of artistic licence.

From its very opening note, this show had the audience in stitches. Hosted by the iconic Fatt Butcher, Birmingham’s own Drag Idol winner and self-proclaimed ‘hot mess’, the quick-witted nature of the show soon becomes apparent. Not even five minutes into the show, and we’ve already had mention of the infamous lawsuit surrounding not-so-little Andrew and a subsequent dead son joke. The tone is sufficiently set. The writing of the show deserves a mention; whilst much of it must be off the cuff, there are clearly some very clever ideas at play that provide a solid base for the laughs. This is top-notch queer comedy, interspersed with some stellar vocals. Joining Fatt is the alarmingly convincing Blu Romantic, who spends the entire show in full Cats garb, and even commits to a roller skating bit, much to the audience’s terror. The captivating Dahliah Rivers oozes glamour, even as she performs an… interesting rendition of As If We Never Said Goodbye, and Alanna Boden delivers a stunning voice alongside some very funny, less glittery exposition. It is worth noting that whilst the show runs off chaotic fumes, the vocal performances are (when they want to be) just incredible. This group are clearly not one to shy away from impressive harmony, and the arrangements are genuinely lovely.

Whilst there are one or two jokes that didn’t quite land, the bulk of the performance really hits the spot. Tongue-in-cheek may be an understatement here, but even the most vulgar of gags (steady on…) is well received. This is a room full of joy, and it’s hard to see how anyone could have anything but praise for this talented group. It’s clear from the standing ovation that they have achieved what they set out to do, and the atmosphere makes you hopeful for the future, both for theatre and of society as a whole. If you’re looking for a night out that is a little ‘glass slipper’ and even more ‘glass dildo’, then keep an eye on Send in the Clowns for their next outrageous project. You wont regret it.

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