About

The Penny Dreadfuls are Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck, who together perform narrative and sketch comedy for the stage and radio.

Following on from the success of their 2009 radio play, Guy Fawkes, The Penny Dreadfuls are currently working on a new play for Radio 4. Commissioned by the BBC for the Saturday Play slot, it focuses on the lives of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette during The French Revolution. Broadcast is planned for July 2011. Watch this space for more news!

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Previous Work
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They are famed for their three shows centering around the world of noted Victorian explorer and dandy, Aeneas Faversham (Aeneas Faversham (2006), Aeneas Faversham Returns (2007) and Aeneas Faversham Forever (2008)), which have racked up almost 30 five-star reviews between them, and their two excellently received radio series, The Brothers Faversham, aired on BBC7 and Radio 4 over 2008-9.

Aeneas Faversham

Touring around the UK since November 2005 to packed houses, fantastic critical acclaim and amassing a legion of fans, the Dreadfuls have attracted huge industry attention. Having featured on BBC3 and BBC Radio 4 & recorded their first four-part radio series for BBC Radio 7 which was aired in January 2008, they are currently developing their second series for BBC 7.

Having started in sketch comedy, the troupe now writes mini-epics featuring murder, intrigue and the occult for their radio series and their new live show.

Awards

Their brand new show for 2008, Aeneas Faversham Forever won the award for Best Comedy Show at the Brighton Festival in May 2008, notably while still in development (!) Thank you to our programmers, Mike Smith at the Joogleberry and Ed Bartlam at the Udderbelly.

Aeneas Faversham Returns, our show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2007 was awarded the Three Weeks Editor Award for excellence.

Touring the Festivals

Click to view more info on Aeneas Faversham Returns at the Edinburgh Festival 2007

Two hour-long installments of the live sketch show centres has performed to sell-out crowds at festivals across the UK, such as at The Smirnoff Underbelly, at the Edinburgh Festival (2006 & 2007), Panoptican & Brel at the The Glasgow Comedy Festival (2006 & 2007), at the beautiful Pavilion Theatre at The Brighton Paramount Comedy Festival (2007), the Leicester Comedy Festival where they were nominated for Best Newcomers, the G66 Festival and The Latitude Festival. The Dreadfuls are currently working on a third brand new hour-long show of Victorian fancies and escapades from the world of Aeneas Faversham to tour in 2008.

Touring comedy venues around the UK

The chaps have also toured the show to the Stand Comedy Clubs (Edinburgh & Glasgow), The Soho Revue Bar, The Pleasance Islington, Hen and Chickens, the Etcetera Theatre, Up the Creek, the Byre Theatre in St Andrews and participated in showcases such as BBC Radio 4’s Edinburgh Festival Four at the Fringe showcase at the Pleasance Coutyard, the BBC Children in Need Comedy Night (Shepherds Bush Empire), the Leicester Comedy Festival Comedy Heaven Amnesty showcase (Phoenix Arts Theatre) and the fantastic Laugh a Minute comedy showcase for reopening of the prestigious BBC Radio Theatre as well as many others.

Improv Origins

The Dreadfuls met in 2002 doing improv comedy with The Improverts, Edinburgh University’s 20-years-and-running resident improv troupe. David, Humphrey & Thom each directed the troupe in turn and played with them for 6 years. The three of them have participated in many improv collaborations since, most notably ShamWagon at the Pleasance Courtyard at the Edinburgh Festival 2006, as well as The Stand Players‘ “Completely Made Up” and “Whose Lunch is it Anyway”, and have guested on many improv nights in London.

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