Crybabies have announced the transfer of The Scaring to Soho Theatre this September.
The Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominees will be haunting the Soho Theatre Main House between Thursday 3rd – Wednesday 23rd September 2026, following on from their Edinburgh Fringe run this summer.
The trio, made up of Michael Clarke, James Gault, and Ed Jones, join forces with 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.
The Scaring marks Crybabies’ return to Soho Theatre, where they have previously presented two wildly critically acclaimed shows Bagbeard and Danger Brigade. The production also follows in the footsteps of previous Francesca Moody Productions’ transfers to Soho Theatre, including Fleabag and Weather Girl.
The Scaring synopsis
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 border on the miraculous.
The show embraces a sharper visual ambition this year, 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.
Crybabies: A new chapter
The Scaring marks a bold new chapter for Crybabies: bigger, stranger, and more ambitious than ever. Produced by Francesca Moody Productions in association with award-winning comedy and podcast company Plosive Live – this is Crybabies with the volume up. It’s slicker, spookier, and somehow even sillier.
Over the last few years, all three Crybabies have been quietly levelling up. They’ve been working on a new BBC radio series, developing projects for screen, and popping up on TV including roles in Jack Rooke’s award-winning Channel 4 series Big Boys, Disney’s Extraordinary and Ricky Gervais’ After Life on Netflix. Their solo careers have taken exciting steps forward, while their collective chaos has only grown more refined.
Following the success of Danger Brigade and Bagbeard, Crybabies have built a loyal, slightly obsessed fanbase. With their signature blend of chaos, tenderness and theatrical invention, Crybabies have become one of the UK’s most distinctive, and best-loved sketch acts.
Crybabies said: “We’re thrilled to be performing at Soho Theatre for the first time since 2023. And because the world hasn’t become terrifying enough in those convening years, we thought we’d do a horror. Inspired by everything from Scary Movie to scary movies, we’re determined to put even more boos into the Soho evening air. The fact we’ve managed to drag the good folks of FMP into it is still, quite frankly, baffling.”
Francesca Moody said: “I’m delighted that we’re transferring this horrifyingly funny show to Soho Theatre. It’s hugely exciting to be bringing together the comic genius of Crybabies with the imagination of a top tier creative team led by Jon Brittain. This wonderfully talented group of people are making something ambitious, surprising and truly terrifying.”
The Scaring is directed by Jon Brittain, with Set and Costume by Cecilia Carey (Baby Reindeer, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!), Lighting by Bethany Gupwell (The Virgins, Twelfth Night), Sound by Ed Lewis (Stage Fright: Inside Number 9, A View from the Bridge) and Video by Nina Dunn (Avenue Q, The Shark is Broken).
Tickets for The Scaring at Soho Theatre are available now.
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