Guy Fawkes is not an obvious subject for a comedy – he’s more of a villain or a tragic figure (depending on your perspective) than a clown. But David Reed’s new play, which started life as a radio drama with his comedy troupe The Penny Dreadfuls, tries to find the laughs in this tale of treason.
In Reed’s telling, the Gunpowder Plot is a chat at the pub that got a bit out of hand. When we first meet them, conspirators Robert Catesby, Thomas Percy, Thomas Winter and Kit Wright are clumsy would-be revolutionaries, more interested in the drinks and snacks than in their plans to overthrow King James. But with the recruitment of Fawkes, who has military experience overseas, things heat up. Before they know it, the group have a stock of explosives stashed under the Houses of Parliament and there’s no going back.
