CRYBABIES to Bring THE SCARING to Soho Theatre After Edinburgh Run

Following a hugely acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominees Crybabies (Michael Clarke, James Gault and Ed Jones) are taking their new show THE SCARING to Soho Theatre's Main House from 3rd to 23rd September.

The trio has joined forces 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.

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.

The Scaring marks a bold new chapter for Crybabies: bigger, stranger, and more ambitious than ever. Produced by Francesca Moody Productions - the Olivier award-winning powerhouse behind Fleabag, Baby Reindeer and Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder!, 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 individually 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, both of which transferred to Soho Theatre, 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.

The trio's BBC radio series CRYBABIES PRESENT… saw the boys take the big screen to your normal-sized radios across the country. The series launched in 2024 with BAGBEARD, followed by YOURS, FATALLY last August, with both earning nominations at the BBC Audio Drama Awards in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

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 (Baby Reindeer, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!), 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).

About the Crybabies

Michael Clarke has starred in numerous hit shows, including Netflix's Lockwood & Co and Disney's Extraordinary. He also plays Tom Dudley-Brown, co-host of hit satire podcast Everything Is News. Described by The Times as 'the UK's hottest spoof podcast', it shot to number 5 in the UK podcast charts and is currently being developed for TV.

James Gault trained as a clown at L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier and has been described as having 'a remarkable comedy presence' (Dominic Maxwell, The Times). He has appeared in numerous TV shows including After Life on Netflix, Murder They Hope for UKTV Gold and Trespasses for Channel 4.

Ed Jones is an actor, writer and character comedian who has appeared in hit TV series including Bridgerton, Big Boys and Not Going Out. A celebrated social media star, his videos have amassed over 100 million views across Instagram and TikTok.

About Jon Brittain

Jon Brittain is an Olivier Award-winning writer and director. His murder mystery comedy musical Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder! was a sell-out hit at the Edinburgh Fringe and transferred to the West End in May 2024. Jon's play Rotterdam won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre in 2017. He also directed Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd's debut play, which won the same award three years later. Other theatre work includes Billionaire Boy The Musical and the long-running cult show Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho.

Other stage work includes the UK Theatre Award-winning Billionaire Boy The Musical, written with Miranda Cooper and Nick Coler, as well as the Fringe First Award-winning A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad), written with Matthew Floyd Jones.

As a stand-up director, he has worked on all of John Kearns' critically acclaimed shows, including the Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning Sight Gags for Perverts and Shtick, alongside work with comedians including Tom Allen, Alfie Brown, Mat Ewins, Janine Harouni, Ania Magliano, Joz Norris, Sara Pascoe and Tom Rosenthal.

For television, he was a staff writer on Season 2 of The Amazing World of Gumball (Cartoon Network) and Series 3 and 4 of The Crown (Netflix). He has also been in writers' rooms for Apple TV, Canal+ and others. With Richard Naylor, he was head writer on both series of The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin for Apple TV.

About Francesca Moody Productions

FMP is an Olivier Award-winning, Tony-nominated production company whose work in theatre has originated two of the most globally successful television shows of the last decade: Fleabag and Baby Reindeer.

The company makes Original Theatre, television, film and audio, working to find the right home for each story and grow it over time, from tiny fringe theatres to the West End and beyond.

Current & upcoming productions: Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen (Studio Theatre, Washington DC); Relics (Lyric Hammersmith); Garry Starr: Classic Penguins (Pleasance Grand, Edinburgh Fringe); Crybabies: The Scaring (Pleasance Two, Edinburgh Fringe); Shedinburgh (Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh Fringe & Young Vic, London); ROLEPLAY (Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe).

Recent productions include: Weather Girl (St Ann's Warehouse New York, Soho Theatre, Summerhall); Ohio (Young Vic, Assembly Roxy Edinburgh, Bristol Old Vic); My Master Builder (Wyndham's Theatre); An Oak Tree (Young Vic, Bergen International Festival, Festival d'Avignon, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh); How to Win Against History (Bristol Old Vic, Norwich Theatre Playhouse, Underbelly Edinburgh); Garry Starr: Classic Penguins (Soho Theatre, Underbelly Edinburgh/Soho, Arts Theatre, Garrick Theatre); A Streetcar Named Desire (Noël Coward Theatre, BAM, Phoenix Theatre); Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder! (The Ambassadors Theatre, Underbelly Edinburgh, Bristol Old Vic, HOME Manchester, Roundabout); Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible is Going to Happen (Arts Centre Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Bush Theatre, Roundabout); I'm Almost There (Summerhall, Minetta Lane Theatre New York); VL (Roundabout); Nutcracker (Southbank Centre); Never Have I Ever (Chichester Festival Theatre); School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Lyric Hammersmith); A Doll's House (Hudson Theatre New York); Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons (Harold Pinter Theatre); Berlusconi: A New Musical (Southwark Playhouse Elephant); Mum (Soho Theatre); Leopards (Rose Theatre); Baby Reindeer (Bush Theatre, Roundabout); and Fleabag (Wyndham's Theatre, Soho Playhouse, Soho Theatre, UK and Australian Tour, S. Korea, Underbelly Edinburgh).

Executive Producer: Francesca Moody

Shedinburgh Producer: Darcy Dobson

General Manager: Kati Donlon

Associate Producer: Grace Dickson

Shedinburgh Associate Producer: Tom Chamberlain

Assistant General Manager: Gianna Schuetz-McKinnis

Marketing Coordinator: Katie Kirkpatrick

Creative Associate: Jon Brittain

Production Associate: Jack Boissieux

Event Details

Venue: Soho Theatre Main House

Dates: Thursday 3rd - Wednesday 23rd September 2026

Time: 9pm

Press night: Monday 7th September

Cast & Creatives

Cast: Michael Clarke, James Gault, Ed Jones

Director: Jon Brittain

Set & Costume Designer: Cecilia Carey

Lighting Designer: Bethany Gupwell

Sound Designer: Ed Lewis

Video Designer: Nina Dunn

Illusions Designer: John Bulleid

Associate Director: Grace Duggan

Associate LX Designer: Jodie Underwood

Production Manager: Jack Boissieux

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