REVIEW | Send in the Clowns: Unpopular!, Old Joint Stock Theatre

Reviews

20 Jan

Written by Roni

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.

Please note, this musical contains strong sex and drug references.

While it’s always lovely to be able to champion smaller companies and theatre projects, it’s so nice to be able to support something really great. Small is definitely not synonymous with less, and if you’re looking for something camp, fabulously entertaining, and wickedly hilarious then look no further than Send in the Clowns.

Send in the Clowns is a musical theatre drag revue show from Fatt Productions, a performance company focused on celebrating queer joy and creating spaces for people from all walks of life to come together and feel empowered. Unpopular is their seventh revue, and they are anything but what the title suggests – the space is packed as tight as a… well, we’ll leave the innuendo to the clowns (they do not disappoint). Contemporary musicals from the 80’s onwards are the theme of the night, with the first half of the show comprised of a cabaret of songs from shows we know and love, including an audience sing along to the classic I Know Him So Well, littered with some rather honest ‘context’ for those not quite as familiar. The section took us through everything from Hamilton to Miss Saigon, including a surprise stop at Jekyll & Hyde (as famously sung by renowned musical theatre performer… David Hasslehoff?). The second act involves a 20 minute-ish performance of the smash hit Wicked, put together with very little rehearsal and a lot of artistic licence.

It's wonderful to see the growth in, well, popularity, that the clowns are enjoying, and the audience is lapping up every note right from the off. Hosted by the iconic Fatt Butcher, Birmingham’s own Drag Idol winner and self-proclaimed ‘hot mess’, it soon becomes apparent just how quick-witted this show is. With a few clever re-writes, One Day More becomes a ‘shots fired’ take on the majority of modern musicals. The writing of the show is once again brilliant; despite the clear improvisation at times, there’s a natural talent for timing and humour that carries the show and has the audience in stitches. There is a niche to queer comedy, but the clowns have found their people and each joke lands spectacularly. Fatt is joined once again by the incredible Alanna Boden, who provides some stunning vocals, as well as holding her own comically. The enchanting Dahliah Rivers adds a touch of glamour, despite her well-known provocative nature (the, ahem, polite way of putting it), whilst enigmatic Blu Romantic acts the cheerful backbone to the show, which turns out to be multi-faceted as they double as a talented props maker. The group genuinely impress with their flawless harmonies, and even with the off-the-cuff vibes of the show, there is real talent on display here.

It's vulgar, it’s audacious, it’s bordering on libel at times, but my god is it a riot. The joy of freedom amongst like-minded individuals is tangible, and whilst they may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the clowns deliver a stellar show that cannot fail to make you chuckle. The reaction in the room is incredible, and I hope all involved feel more than one sense of pride in what they’ve created and the clear reputation they’ve built. If you like your ‘Popular’ with a side of poppers, then Send in the Clowns will be right up your…street.

Keep up to date with Fatt Projects by visiting their website.