The Penny Dreadfuls Present.... Image shows from L to R: Humphrey Ker, Thom Tuck, David Reed
The Penny Dreadfuls Present...

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.

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Revolution - The Penny Dreadfuls Present: Revolution

The Penny Dreadfuls present their latest play - their version of the French Revolution. Guest starring Richard E. Grant as Robespierre and Sally Hawkins as Marie-Therese, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

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

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Friday 21st December 2012 9:00pm Radio 4
Friday 25th December 2015 11:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Saturday 26th December 2015 12:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Saturday 28th December 2019 10:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Thursday 18th November 2021 10:30pm Radio 4 Extra
Saturday 20th November 2021 2:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Sunday 21st November 2021 2:00am Radio 4 Extra

Cast & crew

Cast
Humphrey Ker Various
David Reed Various
Thom Tuck Various
Guest cast
Richard E. Grant Robespierre
Sally Hawkins Marie-Therese
Margaret Cabourn-Smith Ensemble Actor
Writing team
Humphrey Ker Writer
David Reed Writer
Thom Tuck Writer

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