Review: Coulrophobia – Tobacco Factory Theatres
Buy tickets now before they sell-out because this one is brilliant
It’s such a tired cliche to call a piece of theatre a ‘must-see’. But with Coulrophobia, it pretty much is a must-see.
Coulrophobia is one and a half hours of face-aching entertainment. It’s the show you don’t know that you need until you’re in hysterics at a lamb puppet, cardboard boxes or rice wine. To say too much about this glorious piece of theatre would spoil all of the humour and anarchy that unfolds.
The show is only supposed to run for one hour and twenty minutes. But, it was nearer the half hour as the audience shuffled out. Bristol just couldn’t behave itself with the fun it was having.
Essentially, Coulrophobia – the word for fear of clowns – is about two clowns who are trapped in a cardboard world. What actually happens is a clever piece of theatre with meta moments, a touch of existentialism, a lot of slapstick humour and two perfectly nuanced and hilarious performances.
It’s grand seeing the show expand across the Factory Theatre having previously seen it in the lovely but smaller Wardrobe Theatre in Old Market.
With more space comes more chaos. At one point, there was a hairdressing salon with a queue of customers which expanded into a cocktail bar and again, grew into a stage party with a band of cardboard musical instruments.
The audience are a real feature of the show and join in with good humour.
Come the end, the pair were given a hugely deserved standing ovation.
The show was created by Dik Downey and Adam Blake of Opposable Thumb Theatre back in 2014. It’s been touring ever since. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s one to watch and if you have, It’s well-worthy of a return.
The puppetry is first class. It’s hard to think of another theatrical puppet as sinister as the one that makes an appearance part way through.
Call the police, Adam mouths at the audience, and it somehow feels a little too real.
That’s the beauty of the show. How it slips from hilarity, to subversive, to kind of cute and back to hilarity again.
The set is made entirely of cardboard and its really quite striking from the moment you enter the auditorium. Kudos to the music as well. It moves from catchy and clap-along to uncanny and discordant nightmare.
Coulrophobia is at Tobacco Factory Theatres until 02 May 2026
Don’t delay in booking tickets because the show is always a sell-out success
For more information or to book, visit: https://tobaccofactorytheatres.com/shows/coulrophobia-2/
Cast and Creatives
Performers – Dik Downey and Adam Blake
Director John Nicholson
Concept and Script – Dik Downey, Adam Blake and John Nicholson
Puppet Makers – Dik Downey and Emma Powell
Set Design – Dik Downey and Emma Powell
Props and Objects – Emma Powell
Composer and Sound Design – Simon Preston
Costume Designer – Linda Anneveld
Wig Maker – Debbie Hard
Light Design and Technical Solutions – Jan Erik Skarby, Marianne Thallaug Wedset
and Onela Keal
Technician – Chris Collier
PR Design – Onela Keal
Film Maker and Photographer – Adam Laity (Black Cat Films)
Producers – Pickled Image
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