Send in the Clowns: A Little Flop of Horrors – Hope Mill Theatre

Returning for their fourth outing at Hope Mill Theatre, the boisterous cabaret troupe behind Send in the Clowns: A Little Flop of Horrors once again delivered an evening of wickedly funny, musically sharp, and gloriously risqué entertainment. Having caught their last production (C*ck of Ages) back in May, I was curious to see if they could outdo themselves and they certainly rose to the challenge.

The four-strong cast – Fatt Butcher, Blu Romantic, Dahlia Rivers, and Alanna Boden proved to be a powerhouse ensemble. Vocally, they were outstanding, effortlessly switching from the sultry tones of Cabaret to a comedic delivery of Dear Evan Hansen, and the playful belting of a song from Annie. Their mash-up medleys, including an inspired collision of Chicago, Oliver! and Les Misérables, were as hilarious as they were cleverly constructed, with cheeky lyric changes that felt both irreverent and perfectly on theme.

The overarching thread of the evening explored the idea of musical villains, characters reimagined through a glorious queer lens which gave the show its beating heart. The material was packed with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour and camp theatricality. Layered into this were sharp political gags, a fair few barbed jibes at Andrew Lloyd Webber that had the audience in stitches (though this is very much not a show for the easily offended).

One of the highlights came in the form of their condensed, 20-minute take on Little Shop of Horrors, complete with an audience vote to decide the ending. This interactive twist kept the energy buzzing, and the audience sing-alongs only added to the sense of communal mischief.

Though the staging was minimal, it was all that was needed, the performers’ charisma and sheer vocal talent filled the space with ease. And judging by the familiar faces in the audience, the troupe have cultivated quite the cult following here in Manchester. Post-show, the cast mingled with fans and offered merchandise, extending the party atmosphere beyond the stage.

Overall, A Little Flop of Horrors is a deliciously outrageous night of cabaret that’s bold, funny, vocally brilliant, and proudly queer. It’s not for those who blush easily, but for everyone else it’s an evening of laughter, talent and unapologetic joy that’s ‘Fierce, Filthy, and Fabulous!’

The show runs until Thursday the 19^{th of} September 2025 and tickets can be purchased at Hope Mill Theatre’s www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk website

Reviewer: Katie Leicester

Reviewed: 16^th September 2025

North West End UK Rating: