Crybabies: The Scaring comedy review – Silly chills
A gleefully silly horror pastiche packed with jump scares, visual gags and cinematic nods
Melding chills with relentless silliness, Crybabies: The Scaring elevates the horror pastiche to absurd heights. Transitioning from their sketch roots into narrative storytelling, comedy trio Michael Clarke, James Gault and Ed Jones deliver a tightly plotted homage to cinematic terrors. The narrative follows Arthur, a disillusioned former exorcist now scraping by as an immersive stag-do planner, whose arrival at a dilapidated guesthouse thrusts him into a supernatural showdown with a beast from the past. Illusions, a creative soundscape, potent torch-lit jump scares and slick costume effects create a surprisingly atmospheric playground.
Under Jon Brittain’s sharp direction, the script delivers a dense barrage of clever wordplay, slapstick and loving nods to cinematic classics such as The Shining. Yet, in its eagerness to cram possessed children and phantom guests into a brisk runtime, the pacing stumbles. The climax feels undeniably hurried while attempts to inject grief are noteworthy but sit awkwardly amid the surrounding farcical chaos. Nevertheless, the sheer volume of perfectly executed visual gags, particularly a twisted, Exorcist-inspired head spin, swiftly reclaims The Scaring as a Fringe must-see. It is a meticulously constructed, kitsch comedy that leaves audiences unsure whether to sob with terror or hilarity.
Crybabies: The Scaring, Pleasance Courtyard, until 30 August, 8pm; picture: Mihaela Bodlovic.