'Clique Bait: The Musical' a new musical about prejudice, power, and finding your voice

Clique Bait is a bold new musical that dares to expose the dark undercurrents of cultural tension, bullying, and resilience in the UK’s performing arts scene. Written by Zhouzhou Mei and Dominic Huntley, the show is set at a fictional elite dance and drama academy in London, following Nini, a young Chinese student with dreams of stardom—until her classmates turn on her. Betrayed by both Western and Asian peers, Nini is pushed to the brink and forced to reclaim her dignity in the face of cruelty, manipulation, and institutional silence.

Through sharp dialogue, pop-rock anthems, and emotionally charged solos, Clique Bait explores themes of cultural identity, social hierarchy, revenge, and self-empowerment. It’s Mean Girls meets Dear Evan Hansen, but with a multilingual, cross-cultural twist. Musical styles range from fierce pop-rock and soaring ballads to Broadway jazz and slick electronic numbers, reflecting the emotional diversity and tonal shifts of the story.

With music composed by Belle Ning, the show delivers an exciting and emotionally rich score. “Man of the House” brings classic Broadway energy with thrilling choreography and vibrant vocals, making it a standout number. The anti-bullying anthem “Light the Fire” deeply moved audiences with its powerful emotional build-up and righteous atmosphere, featuring a rich blend of solo, duet, and full ensemble moments. Other show-stoppers like “All the Way Tonight,” “What Am I Fighting For?”, and the defiant finale “Our Place” underscore the musical’s passionate call for visibility and justice in predominantly white institutions. The choreography showcased Lettie Liu’s creative vision and the cast’s physical precision.

Xuan Ge made a great lighting that complemented the music and reflected the characters' emotions. However, the transitions between scenes could have been more fluid and natural.

The cast delivered emotionally committed and professional performances. Their strong and polished vocals elevated each number, bringing depth and authenticity to the characters’ journeys.

Listings Information
Dates: 3 & 5 August
Venue: The Courtyard Theatre, 40 Pitfield St, London N1 6EU
Times: Sunday and Tuesday at 8:30 pm
Running time: 60 mins
Age guidance: 12+
Tickets: £10.00 - £15.00 here

Creative & Social Media
Zhouzhou Mei- Director/Writer/Musical Director | Belle Ning- Producer/Composer | Dominic Huntley- Writer/Co Producer | Lyon Chan- Assistant Director | Xuan Ge- Stage Manager/Lighting Designer/Graphic Designer | Lettie Liu- Choreographer | Xinran Ruan- Vocal Coach | Zhuoying (Sola) Cai- Marketing Manager | Sammy Tseng- Marketing Manager/Press Manager | April Pu- Stage Assistant | Gyeongseong Jeong- Sound Engineer | iaye Wang- Sound Designer | Minghui Yang, Yizhou Lan-Poster Designer | Sitegele- Costume Designer | Yuxin Wu- Videographer | Alfie Carter, Le Zhang, Hanpu Li, Chloe Zhong, Yiren Fang -Photographer

Instagram: here
Hashtags: #CliqueBaitMusical #CamdenFringe

Performers:
Shuqi Yu (Nini) | Lettie Liu (Xiga) | Tala Maria (Megan) | Jiajia Gu (Angela)
Nyxx Ong (Eve) | Ming Jiang (Ruby) | Weiming Chen (Milo) | Yiyi Zhang (April)
Kejie Wang (Mikey) | Yi Hsin Wang (Drunken Man & Reporter)
Junhe Chen (Sophie) | Lyon Chan (Julie Bridge) | Qiuyue Zhong (Susan)