Are High School Musical’s campy, ambitious Sharpay and Ryan truly the villains of the piece, or does that in fact go to Vanessa Hudgens‘ doe-eyed wet flannel, Gabriella? What is going through the mind of (spoiler alert) Frozen’s conniving Prince Hans whilst crooning unconventional gaslighter, ‘Love Is An Open Door’?

And, perhaps most probing and searing of all… what does any self-respecting musical theatre performer or accompanist wear to channel their inner lion?

Just some of the freewheeling camp and hijinks that permeate the Old Joint Stock’s I Screamed a Scream. Dubbed a ‘Villains Cabaret’, it manifests as precisely that, with a ‘wicked-ly talented’ (Travolta’s creepy accentuation itself referenced) foursome belting their way through a collection of dastardly numbers of the stage and screen.

It’s a robust, eclectic setlist, for starters. There are the expected tentpoles – the big Disney favourites such as The Lion King’s ‘Be Prepared’ and The Little Mermaid’s ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ are present and accounted for. Dipping into the worlds of Sondheim and the stage, favourites from Sweeney Todd, Hairspray and even Hamilton get their dues, too (some admittedly in truncated, mash-up form).

“There are the expected tentpoles… but the show, directed by Emily Susanne Lloyd, bats in some broader, less expected swings, too.”

But the show, directed by Emily Susanne Lloyd, bats in some broader, less expected swings, too. ‘The Pitiful Children’ from Be More Chill, anyone? Or how about Suzanne Pleshette’s gleefully vicious ‘My Lullaby’ from the direct-to-VHS Lion King sequel? Bandying between light-hearted bops to genuinely sinister anthems (The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s ‘Hellfire’ gets an impressively serious outing here), it’s a delicately curated roster that makes for a wonderfully varied, tonally rambunctious evening of mischief and villainy.

The talent assembled for the occasion impress throughout. Sinead Kenny (Aladdin), Lydia Eliza Roberts (Heathers the Musical) and Haydn Cox (Dear Evan Hansen) all turn in great vocals and feisty, characterful performances throughout. Kenny infuses sultry sass and delicious amounts of venom and spite into some great villainesses such as Mother Gothel, Zira and Amber Von Tussle. Roberts gets in plenty of big belts and showy moments through big asks such as Mean Girl’s ‘World Burn’ and Into the Woods’ ‘Last Midnight’. And Cox jolts megawatts of energy, riffs and humour into everything from Little Shop’s dentist, Jesus Chris Superstar’s King Herod to the actual villain of Heathers the Musical.

“There’s evidently a ton of passion for all things villainous here…”

Steering the good ship villainy is the Old Joint Stock’s very own James Edge. No stranger to heading up a cabaret, Edge (himself a seasoned musical theatre performer) is a suave, slick performer and proves a perfect host for the occasion, fully throwing himself into the sassy, camp mayhem of it all. There’s evidently a ton of passion for all things villainous here, and some of the evening’s best – and funniest – moments are courtesy of his patter and commentary on all things devilish and devious. Edge shares great chemistry with his co-stars, including accompanist Callum Thompson (who proves a great sport throughout), and all the giddy mischief only makes the no-frills rawness of the likes of his ‘Hellfire’ rendition all the more disarming and powerful.

It’s all delightful, unapologetic cabaret goodness with an extra sheen of malevolence. For fans of the darker side of Disney and musicals (which should be any self-respecting enthusiast, let’s be frank), I Screamed A Scream is a surefire recommendation. It’s a funny, spirited melange of some of the best showtunes and most memorable ne’er-do-wells. One which bubbles with cackling, creepy creativity and makes no bones about its stripped-back, warts-and-all approach. Winningly piloted by Edge, and featuring a rogues gallery of engaging musical theatre talent, it’s a deliciously entertaining showcase that, as its marketing proclaims, it truly does feel so good to be bad.