The Penny Dreadfuls
The Penny Dreadfuls | |
---|---|
Medium | Theatre, Radio |
Years active | 2006–present |
Genres | Sketch comedy |
Notable works and roles | The Brothers Faversham (2008–2009) The Penny Dreadfuls Present... (2010–present) |
Members | Humphrey Ker David Reed Thom Tuck |
The Penny Dreadfuls are a British sketch comedy troupe consisting of comedians Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck, often supported by Margaret Cabourn-Smith. The troupe are best known for writing and performing The Brothers Faversham and The Penny Dreadfuls Present..., comic plays on BBC Radio 4.
History
Early history and Fringe shows (2006–2010)
Ker, Reed and Tuck first met as students at the
TV & BBC Radio (2007–present)
The troupe appeared on television in 2007 with a sketch in BBC Three's Comedy Shuffle. They then made the transfer onto radio in January 2008 with their own show, The Brothers Faversham, guest starring Miles Jupp and Ingrid Oliver. The four-part series was a fictional biography following the life and demise of one of the Faversham brothers. A second series, More Brothers Faversham, was broadcast in October 2008 and later broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
Following on from this shift towards narrative comedy, in 2009 they wrote a comic retelling of the story of
In 2011 Margaret Cabourn-Smith played a supporting role in Revolution, and became a regular fixture in most subsequent The Penny Dreadfuls Presents... plays. From 2012 onward, each play in The Penny Dreadfuls Presents... series was credited solely to Reed.
Radio episodes
All episodes star Ker, Reed, and Tuck.
The Brothers Faversham (2008)
# | Title | Written by | Guest Starring | Original airdate |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Horatius" | Ker, Reed, Tuck | Ingrid Oliver, Miles Jupp | 11 January 2008 |
2 | "Theseus" | 18 January 2008 | ||
3 | "Leonidas" | 25 January 2008 | ||
4 | "Augustus" | 1 February 2008 |
More Brothers Faversham (2008)
# | Title | Written by | Guest Starring | Original airdate |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Titus" | Ker, Reed, Tuck | Ingrid Oliver, Miles Jupp | 5 October 2008 |
2 | "Maximillian" | 12 October 2008 | ||
3 | "Marcus" | 19 October 2008 | ||
4 | "Perseus and Lucius" | 26 October 2008 |
The Penny Dreadfuls Present... (2009–present)
Title | Written by | Guest Starring | Original airdate |
---|---|---|---|
"Guy Fawkes" | Ker, Reed, Tuck | Kevin Eldon, Miles Jupp, Andrew Pugsley | 5 November 2009 |
"Revolution" | Richard E. Grant, Sally Hawkins, Margaret Cabourn-Smith | 9 July 2011 | |
"Hereward the Wake" | Reed | Marek Larwood, Justin Edwards, Margaret Cabourn-Smith | 26 December 2012 |
"Macbeth Rebothered" | Greg McHugh, Susan Calman, Margaret Cabourn-Smith | 13 December 2014 | |
"Odyssey" | Robert Webb, Lolly Adefope, Margaret Cabourn-Smith | 25 October 2015 | |
"The Curse of the Beagle" | Margaret Cabourn-Smith | 30 July 2016 | |
"Le Carré On Spying" | Miles Jupp, Mark Heap, Margaret Cabourn-Smith | 8 July 2017 | |
"Don Quixote" | Sylvester McCoy, Amanda Abbington, Vivienne Acheampong | 25 August 2018 | |
"Hadrian's Beard" | Tony Gardner, Mina Anwar | 31 August 2019 | |
"Richard III Rebothered" | Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Celeste Dring | 13 April 2020 |
Awards
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe
|
Three Weeks Editors Award[4] | Aeneas Faversham Returns | Won |
2008 | Brighton Festival Fringe
|
Latest 7 Best Comedy Award | Aeneas Faversham Forever | Won |
2008 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe
|
Total Theatre Award | Aeneas Faversham Forever | Nominated |
References
- ^ Dibdin, Thom. "The Penny Dreadfuls: Aeneas Faversham Forever review at Bedlam Theatre Edinburgh | Review | Theatre". The Stage. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
- ^ "The Penny Dreadfuls". Steve Greer. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
- ^ "Aeneas Faversham". The Association of Lighting Designers. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
- ^ ThreeWeeks Editors Awards 2007