I previously reviewed ‘Inside No. 9: Stage|Fright’ as part of its West End run. For a full review of the show, see here: “Inside No. 9: Stage|Fright” – Wyndham’s Theatre ★★★★★ – Broken Legs Blog
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith’s cleverly comical show is now touring the UK, and I jumped at the chance to see the production again during its recent run at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham. But how engaging would the show prove to be, given that I now knew what to expect? Did the show live up to expectations a second time?
It has to be said, Pemberton and Shearsmith are excellent authors, and incredibly adept at creating characters that are likeable and realistic. The opening act of ‘Stage|Fright’ sees them recreate ‘Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room’, an episode of the TV series that features two ageing comedians reflect on their brief moment in the spotlight as comedy double act ‘Cheese and Crackers’. It is a heart-warming tale, and although the twist at the end of this segment will come as no surprise to those that have seen the episode before, the story is not diminished by knowing this twist is coming. The joy comes from the nostalgia of old-fashioned comedy, as Pemberton and Shearsmith recreate comedy skits that could be straight out of a Morcambe and Wise sketch. Even for those of us that have seen the show before, the jokes do not fail to make us laugh all over again.
An extension to this segment, created specially for the stage version, sees the two characters act out a scene where they accidentally kidnap a well-known celebrity, in a sketch that seems to purposefully hark back to the episode ‘A Quiet Night In’. Each performance sees a different celebrity guest star ‘kidnapped’ by the pair, and thrown into a scene with no script and no knowledge of what is coming next. These celebrity guest stars have ranged from Adrian Chiles to Dame Maureen Lipman, and when I saw the show, it was comedian Russell Kane who found himself with a pillowcase over his head. It has to be said that Kane was on top-form, and clearly an experienced improviser, although one can only imagine that the scene is even funnier with those celebrities who are perhaps not as well-versed or confident when it comes to improv. There were moments when it felt like Kane was playing up to the scene a little too much, and trying to steal some of the limelight away from Pemberton and Shearsmith.
As a TV show, ‘Inside No. 9’ transcends many genres, and the stage show is no different. Whilst the opening act brings us slow-burning character drama mixed with heightened comedy, the second act focuses more on horror and the supernatural. These scenes played out a little better in the Wyndham’s Theatre in London, which was a more intimate setting and felt better suited to the idea of a theatre haunted by the ghost of a murdered audience member. The Alexandra Theatre doesn’t have the same sort of history, and is a little too big for all audience members to feel quite as drawn in by the tension that quietly ramps up throughout the second act.
The second act suffers a little more on a second watching, as the characterisation here is not quite as strong, and the story not quite as gripping, when one knows the twists that are coming. The decision to have characters portrayed by Miranda Hennessy and Gaby French take centre stage in the second act, and relegate Shearsmith and Pemberton to seemingly supporting roles, leaves the scene feeling a little lacklustre, although it is in keeping with the anthology series, which regularly brought in guest stars to take on the main role (we all remember Sheridan Smith in ‘The 12 Days of Christine), with Shearsmith and Pemberton taking on wacky side characters.
Overall, the show still remains enjoyable, and Pemberton and Shearsmith’s sharp writing does not fail to move you at points, although this is a production that ultimately relies on surprising you with shocking twists, and can fail to live up to the same levels of drama when you know the twists that are coming. The final scene of the show definitely does not work as well when you understand what is happening, although for first time viewers, it will prove to be as surprising and mind-blowing as ever. If you are a fan of ‘Inside No. 9’, or just Pemberton and Shearsmith’s writing in general, this is a show that you do not want to miss.
Tom Morley, October 2025
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