SOPHIE’S SURPRISE PARTY
Underbelly Boulevard
★★★★★
“a dazzling, tongue in cheek triumph”
Think 90s surprise party – what comes to mind? If it’s awkward goths, velour tracksuits, blue WKD and a run of 90s and 00s bangers, ‘Sophie’s Surprise Party’ will be right up your street – a thrilling comedy circus cabaret bursting with stunning acts and delightfully cheeky flair.
At ‘Sophie’s Surprise Party’, you’re not a spectator – you’re part of the show! You’ll chat to cast, borrow glitter, grab party poppers and munch on onion rings all before the show starts! Then the celebration kicks off with a bang, launching into death defying acrobatics, British banter and unexpected audience participation, making this the kind of party you’ll wish would never end.
This sizzlingly slick cabaret of circus acts, set to 90s and 00s anthems, thrillingly fuses danger with skill. There’s no safety nets, no wires – just sheer technique and trust. From aerial acrobatics and lightning fast skating to fire batons and mesmerizing diabolo, almost every act has real risk – and not just to the cast! The front row is told to lean back for the skate routine, and fire batons shoot sparks over our heads. It’s a spectacle of technical mastery unlike any circus I’ve seen.
What’s truly exceptional is how smartly conceived and brilliantly executed the show is. It leans hard into the 90s/00s vibe, with familiar stereotypes becoming characters with mini arcs. The audience plays pass the parcel and beer pong, while each act plays out to the perfect throwback tune. Best of all, it’s self deprecatingly British throughout, making the outrageous routines all the more surprising. From a deliberately unsexy striptease in a giant Sports Direct mug, to the bloke in an England t-shirt whipping out a strip of condoms with his literal face on them, to everyone screaming Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ – it nails the target audience with tongue in cheek brilliance.
Three Legged Race Productions stages ‘Sophie’s Surprise Party’ in the round in a very tight space, creating plenty of close for comfort moments that heighten the thrill and make the skill on display all the more astonishing. There’s a cheeky, risqué tone from the outset – we are literally showered with crisps, encouraged to chuck ping pong balls at the cast, and cheerfully debate our favourite forms of contraception, perfectly setting the mood. Transitions are impressively slick and cleverly concealed despite being centre stage, whether it’s through misdirection, sharp lighting or sheer speed, creating a tight, polished feel. While the narrative is loose, the spectacular acts and seamless pacing create cohesion, building suspense with escalating feats of skill. Comic relief punctuates the danger through sharp dialogue and irreverent staging. Audience participation keeps us engaged and on our toes. It’s immersive, anarchic, and consistently inventive – an experience that feels both meticulously crafted and joyfully unpredictable.
The design instantly channels edgy party atmosphere, with candy coloured lighting, glittering tinsel curtains and a giant Christmas pudding complete with real fire. Costumes cleverly capture each performer’s 90s/00s persona, be they goth, nerd, Barbie or F*** Boi. If there’s one minor drawback, it’s the sound design which occasionally drowns out audience reactions – but then again, when are house parties ever quiet?
The entire cast – Katharine Arnold, Nathan Price, Cornelius Atkinson, Josie Jones, Emily McCarthy, Willem McGowan – astonishes the audience with their skill, strength, precision and comic timing. Standout moments include Price and McCarthy’s blistering skate routine (I’m still surprised nobody lost any teeth), McGowan’s gravity defying diabolo (who knew you only need one hand??), Jones’ pyrotechnic prowess (I see your fire and raise you FIRE-SPARKLERS!), and Price, McCarthy and Atkinson’s jaw dropping trio culminating in a terrifying final drop. The whole company keeps the party pumping and every act brings the house down.
‘Sophie’s Surprise Party’ distils all the best parts of a wild house party and while pushing the bounds of what’s humanly possible. It’s a dazzling, tongue in cheek triumph – catch it while you can!
SOPHIE’S SURPRISE PARTY
Underbelly Boulevard
Reviewed on 19th November 2025
by Hannah Bothelton
Photography by Roger Robinson
Previously reviewed at this venue:
JEEZUS! | ★★★½ | October 2025
