Review: Send In The Clowns: C*ck Of Ages

Send in the Clowns, the musical revue collective, starring Fatt Butcher, Dahliah Rivers, Alanna Boden and Blü Romantic, return with their latest show 'C*ck of Ages' which opened with a run at their usual home, The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham, before it heads out on a tour of the UK. 

This time, the Clowns are tackling the rock music genre, taking the show's name from the jukebox musical, Rock of Ages. In the Star Wars-inspired opening to this show, we learn that the Clowns are on a mission to find the ‘Cock of Ages’ and fulfil an important agenda set by the god of musical theatre, Lisa Minelli…. it’s time to make musicals gay again. In keeping with previous Send in the Clowns shows, heterosexuality is out and queerness is very much in.

Send in the Clowns does Hair

The first half of the show offers a cabaret-style line-up of songs from a range of musicals including a group number from Hair, Alanna Boden beautifully belting out Rent’s ‘Out Tonight’, Fatt Butcher’s powerful and emotive rendition of Hedwig and the Angry Inch’s ‘The Origin of Love’, Blü Romantic’s ‘Sweet Transvestite’ that will absolutely leave you in antici…..pation, and of course, Rock of Ages which sees Dahliah Rivers pelted with balls while she sings ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’. Throughout, a sharply comedic and clever script carries audiences from one musical to the next with the confidence that I have come to expect from these performers.

The second act of Send in the Clowns always sees them take on an abridged, condensed version of a musical, and this time they’re tackling Grease. Once again, they’ve ripped up the script and put it back together in the usual creative and comedic Send in the Clowns way. The question of evening is: should Dahliah’s Sandy have an American Broadway accent or an Australian Olivia Newton-John accent? As a member of the audience, you get to decide, and the results are nothing short of hilarious.

With Pink Theydies, an abundance of queer pop culture references that we are holding space for because this is queer media, dick jokes galore, a dragged-up ‘Denise’ lightning car, and even a Cilla Black Teen Angel, the Clowns serve up a hilarious version of Grease unlike any you’ve seen before. 

Send in the Clowns productions just keep getting better and better each time, and ‘C*ck of Ages’ is a riotous, chaotic, superbly silly and fantastically fun show that does not disappoint. Showcasing incredible vocal solos and harmonies, bastard campery, endless humour, immeasurable talent, and a few poignant moments, Send in the Clowns have hit the jukebox jackpot and nailed another fantastic show.

If you missed out on Send in the Clowns: C*ck of Ages at The Old Joint Stock, then check their tour dates for more upcoming shows. They will also be returning to The Old Joint Stock in September this year with their next production, Little Flop of Horrors. Tickets are on sale now!