Holy Things!

Dear The Internet,

First things first, and congratuma-fucking-lations to the totally made of awesome Pappy's Fun Club, who were nominated for the main comedy award this year! We were convinced they were going to win the spirit one so we could be on there (as it is decreed that only one sketch show a year is deemed OK enough to be patronised with a nomination for an award they will not win). They are genuinely fucking great.

Second things second, thank you to everyone who has come over the last three weeks. It's been emotional hasn't it? Last night we went (apart from Humphrey [why is an ice cream more expensove when Humphrey's there? COS HE'S A FLAKE] ) to a proper bigwig party and that. It was good fun and I proper fell down a hill and got a shirt out of it. Mike, if you're reading... bless your cotton heart.

Lots of love,

Thom Tuck, esq.

PS, Leeds are going to fuck Forest up. Fuck them up in half.

Fresh Air interview now online

The guys were interviewed for Fresh Air FM last week - the interview is available to download and listen to over and over and over again (or even just once) over here.

Spank! dates

The Dreadfuls will appearing twice more at Spank! before the end of the Fringe: tonight, Wednesday 22nd August and on Sunday 26th. As ever, it's at the Underbelly Cowgate and the show starts at midnight. I'll post again as soon as I have the full line-up.

Remaining dates selling fast..

Some of you may have noticed that our Fringe Office allocation of tickets has now sold out - woo hoo - but the good news is that tickets are still available for most of our remaining dates via the Underbelly box office. For full details of venues selling Underbelly tickets, go here.

Stuckey & Murray

Musical wonders Stuckey and Murray dropped into the show last to film and interview the guys for one of their tremendous web videos. Seriously, these are awesome in the technical sense: they will fill you with some awe. But hey, we would say that because Stuckey and Murray are our super best friends.

Here's part one of their Edinburgh diary:

Enjoy! That's an order.

the beautiful publicity game

We're waiting for the next round of reviews to appear at PDHQ - in the meantime, it's great to see that Idil's design work on our playing-card fliers have been featured by the Fringe Office for the second year running. Mmmm: macro photography.

I'm also now in possession of some beautiful secret treats courtesy of moo.com, proving that there's nothing that can't be improved by making it glossy and sticky. Oh, yes.

It's trying to rain, but we're off out in search of an audience. Oh, and thanks to everyone who has left reviews for us on the edfringe website - it's great to have such positive feedback and we're glad you like the show. We do too.

Oh, and coming soon? T-shirts.

Sketchatron Mark 4.

And we're back for Sketchatron the Second. It's Saturday, it's pouring with rain and the theatre is packed.

The Penny Dreadfuls are first out.

12.46: It's Magic Circle. Thom's voice is filling out the whole theatre - I'd forgotten how great the Bedlam sounds.

"Why would I steal the name 'Kevin? It's so deeply ordinary."

12.48: A wizard's duel is accepted. It's already two-nil to Kevin.

And now it's Train Station, the opening sketch from last year's show. "A world of travel destinations rest within your grasp.."

12.51: "Woking!"

A round of applause for Lucky Owen, and they're off. A really warm reception for a horrible cold and wet day.

Next up, Idiots of Ants.

12.54: A man who has passed every exam in the world. And someone who has everything wrong with them.

12.55: "Your face is continually contorted into a grimace."

Neil is rockin' us out with some glamorous glam style glam rock. And now a short lesson on practical jokes, united by wafting.

12.58: "Please inhale the contents of this bag." Short but oh, so sweet.

The Sunday Defensive! Friends from the Canal Cafe gigs and doing their only Fringe appearance this year with us. Woo!

13.00: Racism. "It only works with four poofs."

13.01: Rape. "Rape. Pour Homme."

Awkward laughter. Lots and lots of awkward laughter. It's all too beautiful for words.

13.05: Caricature. Two portraits, one of which is made from meats. Trying really hard not to type punchlines. "So, that's what my face would look like if it was made out of meats?"

"Phil, your face.. tastes so good."

13.08: "Why don't I choose this moment to start eating condiments on their own? We're about to engulfed by the icey waters of the Atlantic ocean."

13.12: The best current use of a reference to a duet by Elton John and Kiki Dee.

Mr Winchester and Tommy.

13.13: Some quality northern entertainers. I suspect that they're related to Neil, or Dave. Or, in an exciting revelation of the family tree, both.

13.15: A little bit of improvisation. "It sound shit, dunnit?"

13.21: "Belgium, home of the cyclist, I think."

13.23: "Yes, I should go back because we cannot integrate." It's the Daily Mail in theatrical form. Dr Raj Persaud and the happy Halifax man are assessed for immigration purposes.

Stuckey and Murray.

13.27: Some lovely guitar dancing prepares us for "Awkward Silence." Neil is dancing in the tech box - yes, that's the power of this music.

13.30: More dancing. "It's the mother-fucking awkward silence. Why d'you think we play these guitars?"

13.32: A lyrical road-map to getting laid. It's take-home advice that everyone can use.

13.34: "You want to grab a slice of pizza and go fuck?"

13.40: Turns out the audience loves jokes about going camping for casual sex.

It's all over for Sketchatron's trip north to Edinburgh: two packed shows, and the cream of sketch comedy. Woo. Sketchatron is over - but watch out for more London gigs in October.

Everyone's favourite improviser-du-jour, Dean Haglund (best known for playing Langly, one of the Lone Gunmen in the X-Files for nine seasons), whom we met when he came to play at The Improverts earlier this week, mentioned Aeneas in an interview with Forbidden Planet on line:

"I have been trying to get tickets to see Aeneas Faversham Returns - the Victorian Sketch comedy group… that is my cup of tea."

He managed to come along to the show on Wednesday, and he seemed to enjoy himself lots and lots. Thank you, Dean.

Catch Dean's show "X-files Improv" is at The Lot, every day till the 26th, at 8.45pm.

He also invented the ChillPak.

Live-blogging Sketchatron..

Oh yes!

12.45: Ginger and Black are on-stage, playing a lovely song about failing to get work in television production which means that the first Sketchatron is up and running.

"Don't laugh, it ended in tragedy. He doesn't like to talk about it so I've written a film script instead."

12.52: Military accountancy school; the cruel parental microwaving of a leotard.

Tommy and The Weeks.

12.56: A very clever optical illusion using two ordinary household faces.

12.58: Ed is very cutting. "Maybe, just maybe, this guy is Spanish."

13.01: The truth-fawn Shibboleth. "It is 1566. Newton has theory-block.."

13.04: "And he plays in an 'Eagles' covers band called 'The Eagles.'"

And they're off - replaced by the Durham Revue who immediately invite a member of the audience on a Quest, A Quest For Treasure.

13.06: Stella from the audience is facing a series of difficult tasks, involving truth and lies. She is successful. Suspiciously successful.

13.07: Stella vanquishes some more fiends, via Hungry Hungry Hippos.

The Penny Dreadfuls - hey, that's us.

13.12: A Transylvannian inn. "Where there is hat-box.. there is hat."

13.13: The Duel - a favourite from last year's show. *ting* *ting*

And now finally Stuckey and Murray, our favourite New Yorkers, singing about man-love.

13.18: "It started with a glass of Zinfandel and my fingers started to tingle.."

13.22: "Some people call us chauvinists, or misogynists. We call those people bitches."

13.26: "I like chocolates, roses and my vagina."

It's all over. And Neil does really sound a like a robot. Same again tomorrow?

Spank!, Sketchatron and more..

The Dreadfuls are on at Spank! again tonight at midnight, with a ten-minute set of beautiful sketches culled from the collected minds of the Fringe's premiere (alright, only) Victorian comedy team.

It's a way to see the guys if you've been unlucky enough to turn up after that last precious ticket was sold (sob) for our evening show. It's also a stop-gap measure for addicts who can't make it through an entire night without two doses of frock-coat action.

We're also going to be risking the semi-inevitable rains of Fringe Sunday this weekend to appear in the Cabaret Tent sometime after 2pm. It would be lovely to see you.

Finally, the Dreadfuls are appearing in Sketchatron, the London comedy show-case visiting Edinburgh for two shows only at the Bedlam Theatre. It's simply jam-packed with people we like, and we think you will too. Like them, that is, not be jam-packed with them. Unless that's your kind of thing and you're super lucky.

So, that's Sketchatron on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th at 12.35pm: be there, or rue the alternative.

"Shrieking like banshees, they dived upon the cake and gorged themselves, allowing us to slip from the cell unnoticed..."

Gee Whillikers! What a day it has been. Greeted with an Edinburgh at it's most wet and grim, the executive decision was taken to dodge flyering and go see some shows. This proved to be a capital decision as we went to see some smash-o comedy and also managed to sell out as well. Jamie and I went to see a fun surrealist play at the Baby Belly*, a brilliant one woman show** and a smashing post-sketch show***, all of which were wildly enjoyable. We then did the show to a sellout capacity crowd who were very lovely and just as noisy as our first show, which was awfully decent of them. Pausing only to cram food into our faces, we zoomed across town to the fringe launch party, where we played the cabaret stage. This was a trifle grim, as the audience was more interested in sheltering from the rain than listening to us. We clearly entertained the people who were near and listening to us, but people nearer the door were very unmoved by our carefully pruned pathos. Still. Their loss. Douchebags. We then sped across Edinburgh to the Bongo Club where we appeared at their resident cabaret show The Vaudeville Cabaret Show, which is always fun. So, now tired and weary, we have returned to our respective homes. I can't speak for the others but I'm sure they are as pleased as I am to discover that the Mets-Cubs game is on five. Sweet. What a killer day.

*Thomas Pape, 1.20pm, Baby Belly 2
**Bridget Christie, 3.30, Baby Belly 3
***Pappy's Fun Club, 4.30, C SoCo.

Possibly The Best Photograph Ever

Fez Times at Underbelly High

We've set up a tiny roaming office in the booths of the Underbelly: I'm guarding a host of cameras and laptops while the rest of the guys are upstairs performing a guest slot in Lunchbox Live.

Having been asked about old favourite sketches from last year's show, it's worth pointing out that Aeneas Faversham Returns is 100% New Victorian Goodness. This is proven in part by the arrival of the fez, modelled ably by Thom during an exclusive, reveal-all photo shoot for Pipes and Things to Invade Magazine.

If you're out and about in Edinburgh this evening, you'll also want to know that - on top of our regular 6.10 show - we're onstage for Spank! at midnight. You see? There's absolutely no excuse for not seeing us in action.

Now settle down.

Dear The Internet,

As D'humphrey has tactlessly pointed out, we have been sullenly incommunicative with you these past few months. We have seen some of you in human form during our RL appearances. But nothing feels as truly intimate as our kind of communiqué - this faceless, fleshless form. Or facebook.

As the Filthy Turk (or her monkey) has pointed out, we are indeed selling tickets at ZOMG prices for the next few days. A gratifying mahoosive number of folk attended Preview One tonight, walking out shaking the lint from their hair and, hopefully, with giggle implanted deep inside. Like a maggot.

As David has not pointed out, we are inventing a card game. So far we know that you will definitely be able to make the opponent's Queen barren with a monkey. Word.

And now, to bathe.

Yours Afringedly,

Thomas Tuck, esq.

Act One

It's the first day of previews and we're mere hours away from the first official performance of Aeneas Faversham Returns. Yes, soon the world will be a very different place. A funnier, more Victorian place, with additional elephants.

During yesterday's get-in Neil (pictured below with a light for a head) revealed some of the secrets of his profession - namely the difference between ordinary and "sinister" lighting. The sinister lighting involves red: he would have revealed more, but as an outsider such knowledge would have marked me out for death. At least, that's what he claimed.

This year's publicity material - a new edition of our ultra-collectable playing cards - are now out and about in the city. Full decks will be on-sale in the Underbelly Cowgate and at the Bedlam Theatre over the next few weeks; I'll be posting pictures of some choice cards from the deck in a few days time.

Finally, as Humble Producer, I should mention that our previews only run for the next few days, during which tickets are available at the "ZOMG I can't believe it" price of £5. After that, the tickets are merely Extremely Reasonable in price, so you'd better get yourself down to the Underbelly as soon as possible. Go now! Run! We'll be waiting for you.

We're the ones with sinister lighting.