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.
Press clippings
David Reed interview
It's Cervantes' whole 900 page masterwork condensed into about 50 mins, with added jokes.
Comedy To Watch, 18th August 2018Radio comedies shortlisted for BBC Audio Awards 2018
Liam Williams, The Penny Dreadfuls, Sarah Kendall, The Absolutely Radio Show, Harry And Paul Present and It's Jocelyn are amongst the shortlisted nominees for the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2018.
British Comedy Guide, 4th January 2018Radio comedies up for BBC Audio Awards 2018
Shows starring Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse, John Finnemore, Marcus Brigstocke, David Jason and Jocelyn Jee Esien are amongst the nominees for the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2018.
British Comedy Guide, 21st November 2017The Penny Dreadfuls: Le Carré On Spying preview
Take out the radio receiver concealed in your shoe and tune in.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 8th July 2017The Penny Dreadfuls to present spy spoof on Radio 4
Comedy group The Penny Dreadfuls are to perform Le Carré On Spying, a new special as part of their long-running collaboration with Radio 4.
British Comedy Guide, 16th May 2017Interview: Thom Tuck
This week's guest on the increasingly prestigious Grouchy Club Podcast was comedy performer Thom Tuck, whose idea was to come on and plug the two new Penny Dreadfuls' audio book releases. This seemed perfectly simple. But, as always, comedy critic Kate Copstick and I got sidetracked. For example, in this section...
John Fleming, John Fleming's Blog, 27th January 201714 comedy shows up for BBC Audio Awards 2017
The shortlists for the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2017 has been revealed, with 14 comedies in the running across the Best Scripted Comedy and Best Comedy with a Live Audience categories.
British Comedy Guide, 22nd November 2016The Penny Dreadfuls: Macbeth is a load of rubbish
David Reed from the troupe explains how The Scottish Play doesn't tell the full story and how his Radio 4 version is closer to the truth.
David Reed, Radio Times, 13th December 2014Wullie reworked: Macbeth Rebothered on Radio 4
A new radio play sets out to recover Macbeth's reputation from "five acts of lies".
Jay Richardson, The Scotsman, 7th December 2014Having previously sent up Guy Fawkes and the French Revolution, comic troupe The Penny Dreadfuls look for laughs in the story of Hereward the Wake, 11th-century English outlaw and thorn in the side of William the Conqueror.
If you love Blackadder and Horrible Histories, then you will enjoy this entertainingly silly mash-up of comedy and history. Where else can you hear about "a special-occasion sausage" or a sword called "sexy Camilla"? With jokes coming thick and fast, this is terrific stuff.
Jeremy Aspinall, Radio Times, 26th December 2012