The Penny Dreadfuls Present...
- Radio comedy drama
- BBC Radio 4 / BBC Radio 7
- 2008 - 2020
- 18 episodes (2 series)
Radio comedies in which sketch group The Penny Dreadfuls - aka Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck - present plays around historical subjects. Also features Ingrid Oliver and Miles Jupp.
Episode menu
Revolution - The Penny Dreadfuls Present: Revolution
Further details
The French Revolution was one of the most far-reaching social and political upheavals in modern history spanning 10 years and involving the execution of the King, collapse of monarchy and slaughter of thousands at the guillotine. The Penny Dreadfuls will attempt to tell the epic story of the Revolution in one hour with jokes.
The play's two main characters are Maximilien Robespierre the dictatorial architect of the Reign of Terror, who sent thousands to their death and Marie-Therese, the 16 year old daughter of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI.
Marie-Therese was incarcerated for three years by the revolutionaries. When she was locked up her father, mother, aunt and little brother were also with her. After the execution of her father the rest of the family were moved to another part of the tower and Marie-Therese was kept in solitary confinement. It is recorded that Robespierre visited Marie-Therese at one point in the tower but there is no historical record of that conversation. This play is that conversation.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Saturday 9th July 2011
- Time
- 2:30pm
- Channel
- BBC Radio 4
- Length
- 60 minutes
Cast & crew
Humphrey Ker | Various |
David Reed | Various |
Thom Tuck | Various |
Richard E. Grant | Robespierre |
Sally Hawkins | Marie-Therese |
Margaret Cabourn-Smith | Ensemble Actor |
Humphrey Ker | Writer |
David Reed | Writer |
Thom Tuck | Writer |