A Penny Dreadful
Egyptologist Lord Edgar brings his new bride, Lady Enid, to the Hillcrest family home. But a dark shadow hangs over them in the shape of Irma Vep, Lord Edgar’s first wife who died in mysterious circumstances.
Will Lady Enid escape the fate of her predecessor? Will Lord Edgar find his mummy in this gothic horror, quick-change tour-de-force?
Written by avant-garde American playwright, Charles Ludlam, actor, director and founder of The Ridiculous Theatrical Company.
Presented by the award-winning in-house team behind Montague’s Millions, Kindred Spirits, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, A Christmas Carol and The Invisible Man.
Charles Ludlam (1943-1987) grew up in Queens, New York, just a few subway stops from Greenwich Village, and the heart of Gay America. At 24, he founded the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, where he wrote, directed and performed in almost every production for the next two decades, often with Everett Quinton, his life partner and muse, by his side.
Renowned for drag, high comedy, melodrama, satire, precise literary references, gender politics, sexual frolic and a multitude of acting styles, the Ridiculous Theater guaranteed a kind of biting humour that could both sting and tickle.
The Cast: James Keningale and Joe Newton
Directed by Kate Bannister. Set Design: Karl Swinyard & Kate Bannister
Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London, SE4 2DH
Box office: www.brockleyjack.co.uk or 0333 666 3366 (£1.80 fee for phone bookings only)
Dates: Tuesday 9 December to Sunday 4 January 2026 at 7.30pm
Tickets: £17, £15 concessions (suitable for 11+)
