Soho Theatre Review 9th September 2026

Gloriously silly and packed with cracking jokes, Crybabies’ The Scaring brings together the familiar tropes of horror and jump-scare movies, from The Exorcist to The Conjuring, and gives them a thoroughly farcical workout.

We begin with two clergymen attempting to exorcise a demon, but things are not quite what they seem. From there, we’re plunged into a world of mistaken identities, possessed humans, Victorian child ghosts, deranged serial killers and hotels you really wouldn’t want to check into. You can spot the films and conventions being sent up easily enough, but recognising the references is only part of the fun.

The costume, character and set changes come thick and fast, all handled with impressive speed and precision. Projections on the backdrops add atmosphere while slipping in jokes of their own, and there are some very clever theatrical tricks along the way. There’s more craft here than the gleeful silliness might initially suggest.

Naturally, there are jump scares. You can see some coming, but that doesn’t stop them getting a reaction from the audience. What impressed me most, though, was the material. A few jokes earn a groan, but some of the verbal and physical gags are very good indeed. I won’t repeat them and spoil the pleasure of discovering them for yourself.

Considering how well-trodden this territory is, I found myself laughing very hard at times. I did feel it tailing off towards the end, but by then I’d had such a thoroughly enjoyable time that it barely dented the evening. A gloriously daft show with some seriously clever comedy behind it.