The Cast

'We are delighted to announce the cast of The Ghost Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore, which will run at the Tristan Bates Theatre from the 7th to the 19th of March. 

Our hostess is the legendary Jenny Runacre … who has worked with Cassavetes, Pasolini, Antonioni, Ridley Scott, Freddie Francis, Tony Richardson, Derek Jarman and now Sean Hogan.  

Our Monsters are … Claire Louise Amias as the Vampire, Jamie Birkett as the Broken Doll, Billy Clarke as the Frankenstein Monster, Jonathan Rigby as the Devil and James Swanton as the Ghost, with Grace Ker as the Ticket Inspector.  

The play is written by Christopher Fowler, Stephen Gallagher, Sean Hogan, Kim Newman, Lynda E. Rucker, Robert Shearman and Lisa Tuttle.  It’s a Bad Bat Production, produced by Ellen Gallagher and Steve Jordan.  Book your tickets here.' - Kim Newman

Words and images from johnnyalucard.com.

Pictured from left to right: Kim Newman (co-writer), Jamie Birkett, James Swanton, Grace Ker, Billy Clarke, Sean Hogan (director), Claire Louise Amias, Jonathan Rigby, Jenny Runacre.

The Ghost Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore

We're thrilled to announce that Bad Bat's next theatre production will be The Ghost Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore.

Five people are invited to a fancy dress party on a vintage steam train. The guests were told come in costume as their favourite monster... and every monster has a story to tell.

The Ghost Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore is a new portmanteau horror play, bringing to the theatre the flavour of vintage Amicus anthologies like Tales from the Crypt and Dr Terror’s House of Horrors. With segments written by acclaimed authors Christopher Fowler, Stephen Gallagher, Kim Newman, Robert Shearman, Lynda E. Rucker and Lisa Tuttle ... wraparound story by director Sean Hogan.

Produced by Ellen Gallagher and Steve Jordan for Bad Bat Productions.

The show will debut at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden, and will run 7 - 19 March 2016, Monday to Saturday. Tickets £15 / £13 concessions.

BOOK NOW!

King Chaos reviews!

Reviews from the Camden Fringe debut of King Chaos.

★★★★ - 'Bad Bat have established themselves as seriously hot talent in sci-fi comedy and will surely continue to capitalise on that well-earned reputation. In space, no one can hear you scream. In the Tristan Bates, everyone can you hear you laughing. Because you are.' - Views from the Gods

★★★★ - '... the arguments made for 'pragmatism versus idealism when in power' make a lasting impression, especially as Tyler and Gary are essentially Trinculo and Stefano (from The Tempest) who find they unwittingly actually have the power to change things' - Female Arts

'King Chaos sets a cracking pace right from the start and never lets up. All (the cast) are excellent and clearly having fun – their enjoyment is infectious. Writer, producer and director, Steve Jordan has created a wonderfully silly and comic sci-fi universe that, with all its nods and winks to other works, stands very much on its own two feet.' - Camden Fringe Voyeur

'The small cast of four very contrasting characters are an absolute delight to watch. The entire hour of the play is joke after joke so there is very little pause between laughs... would make a great television show (Blackadder meets Dr Who) with its fun-filled adventures...' - A Younger Theatre

'King Chaos is, without a doubt, the nerdiest piece of theatre I have seen in a long time. And it was hilarious... possibly the best feature of this show is that, under its light-hearted, comical surface, it is a subtle but perceptive commentary on political manipulation and the dangers of extreme power. It is intelligent and uplifting, touching on intense themes whilst maintaining its playful nature.' - London Theatre 1

'The idea of absolute power corrupting absolutely, no matter what side you think you’re on, is neatly conveyed, the political points made clear but never upstaging the fun and spirit of the show... wonderful, clever comedy...' - Remote Goat

'The lovable characters and witty, at times deep, remarks on issues are the charm of the play... King Chaos absolutely succeeds in making the audience imagine the different settings of an imperial spaceship. Bad Bat Productions is playing to their strengths by not forcedly putting on a cheap sci-fi stage but focusing on doing justice to the script instead.' - West End Wilma

Announcing our new show: King Chaos!

A new one-hour science fiction comedy play about morality, power and corruption (in space), and successor to the critically-acclaimed Future Boys stage adventures, ‘Pilgrim Shadow’ and ‘Dead Static’, written and directed by Steve Jordan.

The show runs at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden as part of this year’s Camden Fringe Festival, from Monday 10th August to Saturday 15th August 2015, 7.45pm. This will be our fifth Camden Fringe festival as contributors. Tickets are on sale now! Tickets are £12 (£10 concessions).

It's the future! King Jeffrey, compassion-vacuum and ruler of a evil galactic empire known as 'the Syndicate', commands the universe with an iron fist of idiocy and self-obsession. For years the Syndicate have hunted Tyler and Gary, two petty criminals turned freedom fighters. Having discovered their fortune and rallied an army to their cause, they embark on an audacious mission to capture the Syndicate throne and end Jeffrey’s reign of terror and incompetence. They succeed, but... what are they supposed to do now?

Will Tyler and Gary put their differences aside to make the universe a better place, or will their egos make things infinitely, impossibly worse? Just who are the good guys anyway? Power corrupts, and there is only room on the throne for one... You won't want to miss this fast-paced game of intrigue, cunning & stupidity!


Words about the Tyler and Gary’s previous stage adventures...

'Any time spent with these characters is a joy.' - Gareth Alexander, Views from the Gods, reviewing Pilgrim Shadow (★★★★), 2013.

'Exciting and hilarious science fiction…' - Tessa Hart, Remote Goat, reviewing Pilgrim Shadow (★★★★), 2013.

'Splendidly thoughtful and hilarious…' - James Bacon, Forbidden Planet International, reviewing Dead Static, 2012.

'The makings of a classic series.' – Alan Hindle, Snipe London, reviewing Dead Static, 2012.

Starring:
Cliff Chapman as ‘Tyler’
Adam Joselyn as ‘Gary’
Emma Stirling as ‘Sponge’
Robert Dearn as ‘Jeffrey’
Produced by Steve Jordan & Ellen Gallagher for Bad Bat Productions.

The Probleming Reviews.

A huge thank you to all of you who came to see THE PROBLEMING this week. We're thrilled that our debut production as Bad Bat was such a success, and we're hugely grateful of all your support. A massive thank you to our amazing cast members, Emma Stirling, Adam Joselyn and Ellen Gallagher, our lighting designer and technician Tom Bexon, the Tristan Bates Theatre for having us and the Camden Fringe for making it all possible.

★★★★ '...the quality of Jordan's writing has always been in his characterisation, ensuring each is given just as a particularly well-crafted arc as the plot. Here, the trio are unravelled in just three, well-considered and tightly-crafted scenes that do justice to the whole piece... Just round the corner, you could plonk your cash down for (Jeremy Dyson's) Ghost Stories. Yet if the audience on my evening is anything to go by, you could save a good £30 a ticket. The laughs come thick and fast, in all different varieties. Whether you love the cheesey, slightly nerdy references Jordan seems to revel in or the swears intelligently placed like landmines across the place, this has 'em all... Jordan cares for his characters, well-evidenced throughout, and juggling a trio well. Scripts are, frankly, impeccable... it's this continued attention to detail that makes Jordan's writing such a great investment at any level.' - Views From the Gods.

'Steve Jordan's best play yet. A diverting blend of comedy and horror, with a nice line in really foul-mouthed profanity.' - Andrew Cartmel, novelist and screenwriter.

'The chemistry between Gallagher and Stirling is rather like French and Saunders in the days of old or if you prefer a sitcom example, like Baldrick and Blackadder... Joselyn is note perfect as the socially-awkward Dave, whose cheerful demeanour is offset by his strange behaviour. The best thing about The Probleming though is the characterisation of all three parts. None feel underdeveloped and all have their moments to shine. Some of the biggest surprises come from unexpected moments of pathos that creep up on you between the laughs.' - Female Arts

'Atmospheric... Adam Joselyn as Dave is spot on with a combination of social awkwardness and ambiguity and comes with a childlike enthusiasm about his passion. Emma Stirling as Cynthia is sarcastic and cynical and her superiority complex shows through. And the cheerful and naive Nicole, played by Ellen Gallagher is positively infectious.' - The Public Reviews

The Probleming Clips!

Some selected highlights from THE PROBLEMING's barnstorming finale at the Tristan Bates Theatre. Enjoy!

One week to go!

One week to go until THE PROBLEMING arrives! Performing nightly at the Tristan Bates Theatre, a great venue deep in the heart of London's West End, from Monday 28th July to Saturday 2nd August at 7.45pm. Part of this year's Camden Fringe Festival. Don't miss out - BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW PEEPS!

Rehearsals have been full of mirth and professionalism. The UK horror community has been talking about us. We have over 500 followers on twitter and very nearly 100 likes on Facebook. We have released three HD video trailers. All we've got to do now is DO the thing, and we sincerely hope you'll be in attendance when we do DO it. This play will make you laugh, and then freak you out, but in a cool way, not in a 'oh I thought it was something scary but it's actually next door's cat WAIT WHAT'S THAT BEHIND NEXT DOOR'S CAT IT'S A VAMPIRE' kind of way. You know what we mean. Think THE SHINING meets BLACK BOOKS. Yeah, now you're gettin' it! THE PROBLEMING is a good time for all. See you soon!

The Probleming - Trailer 3 - Dave.

The third, final, and perhaps most disturbing of our three trailers for THE PROBLEMING (less than 2 weeks, by the way). Give it a view, and watch Dave play the chess game of his life...

The Probleming - Trailer 2 - Cynthia.

The second of three trailers for THE PROBLEMING, coming to Camden Fringe in 2 weeks! This one features the character of Cynthia, played by Emma Stirling. Enjoy!


In other news, we were thrilled to be featured by Starburst Magazine last week. They previewed our new horror comedy play ahead of our week long run at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden, 28th July - 2nd August (tickets available now!) What they don't know is that the magazine will actually serve as a prop in the play itself! That's meta for you.

The Probleming - Trailer 1 - Nicole.

The first of three trailers for THE PROBLEMING, coming to Camden Fringe in just over 2 weeks! This one features the character of Nicole, played by Ellen Gallagher. Enjoy!

The Probleming Cast Bios.

The CAST

Emma Stirling (Cynthia) studied at the University of Bristol, graduating with a degree in Drama, a course that covered the whole spectrum of performance, from film and television through to theatre. She performed for years prior to this but having honed her skills there, she began performing professionally just over a year ago. Since then, she has been thrilled to work on several wide-ranging projects including First Date, an independent short film that is touring film festivals this year; Ball Talk, a short drama currently in post-production; and 82 to North Finchley, part of the City Shorts collection of short plays commissioned by London Grey & Green Theatre and performed at the Rosemary Branch. She is also an accomplished voice actor having recorded The Lost and Found, a radio drama with Roundhouse Radio, and at the moment, she is excited to be recording content for the monthly podcast, The Bunker. She is passionate about new writing, often seeking out emerging writers to collaborate with and she has enjoyed performing in rehearsed readings and scratch nights as part of the Genesis New Writing night. Emma is delighted to be making her debut for Bad Bat by joining the team for The Probleming.

Adam Joselyn (Dave) has been acting since the age of 12, when he joined Anna’s Management. He attended weekly acting workshops through this agency between the ages of 12 and 24, when he left to join a new agent. Aged 15, Adam landed a lead role in Who’s the Daddy Now, a pilot for Carlton television, where he acted alongside Lenny James. Aged 18, he got the part of Simon in the pilot episode of The Inbetweeners. Although much of the cast was later re-cast, E4 commissioned the first series of the popular show off the back of the pilot episode. More recently Adam appeared in a FilmFour short film My Song. In the last eighteen months, he has also completed still photography and commercials for EA Sports, Skype and Pot Noodle as well as playing Tick in the web series The Takeaway. In August 2014 Adam will make his feature debut, playing Giles in The Inbetweeners 2. The Probleming is Adam’s third collaboration with writer/director Steve Jordan, after successful runs ofDead Static in 2012 and Pilgrim Shadow in 2013. Adam is represented by SEA Personal Management.

Ellen Gallagher (Nicole) is a former session and backing vocalist with a background in musical theatre and comedy. She has taken to the role of Nicole like a duck to water, meaning ‘with a lot of noise and flapping’. Also one of Bad Bat’s producers, Ellen is excited to be involved in a horror comedy production, being a big fan of the horror genre. In the past, she worked at Hammer Horror, including a stint in the production office of recent release The Quiet Ones. Her IMDb page features at least one credit that has nothing to do with her, but she’s not telling which. By day, Ellen works with screenwriters, but by night… well, you’ll just have to watch The Probleming to find out…

Character posters for THE PROBLEMING.

Emma Stirling as Cynthia (left), Ellen Gallagher as Nicole (right) and Adam Joselyn as Dave (bottom). Enjoy!

LOL'd into a false sense of security.

Interview with The New Current.

Writer & director Steve Jordan recently spoke with The New Current about Bad Bat's upcoming debut production, THE PROBLEMING.

'Was it challenging writing a horror comedy play?

While writing my style of comedy has always come naturally to me because I grew up on classic British sitcoms, the horror aspect is more challenging. I think there’s a lot more funny comedy out there than genuinely scary horror, so we want to make sure we don’t short-change our audiences with something half-heartedly spooky. When the play moves into horror, expect edge of your seat stuff.

I think SHAUN OF THE DEAD and SCREAM are two excellent examples of of the genre, though SCREAM is often billed as a straight-forward slasher, I see it more as a incredible parody of one (in a good way) - there's a reason why the two genres are such common bedfellows. In my mind, they can both fold seemlessly into the other.'

Read the entire interview on their website, HERE. Tickets for the PROBLEMING are on sale now.

The Probleming Poster - Tickets on sale now!

Tickets are on sale NOW from the Tristan Bates Website.

The Probleming - Tristan Bates Theatre, 28th July - 2nd August 2014. 7.45pm.

Bad Bad Productions is delighted to announce that our next theatrical production will be THE PROBLEMING, a horror comedy by Steve Jordan. The show will run at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Covent Garden for six evening performances, from Monday 28th July to Saturday 2nd August 2014 at 7.45pm. The show will be part of this year's Camden Fringe Festival, and will star Emma Stirling as 'Cynthia', Adam Joselyn as 'Dave' and Ellen Gallagher as 'Nicole'.

Cynthia's university life is a nightmare. She hates her peers, her campus and she's beginning to hate herself. Her only ‘friend’ is Nicole - a scatterbrained party girl, desperate for popularity. In an effort to move up the social ladder, they join the only student society that appeals - the Speculative Analysis Society (Spec Anal for short) - a group on a quest to prove the existence of the paranormal. As it turns out, it’s not a group at all; just a bloke in a bow-tie called Dave, a lone ghost enthusiast who believes that the isolated rural campus of Trent Park University is haunted by the spirits of witches that were burnt on the grounds of the campus. Despite Cynthia's cynicism, the trio venture out into the seemingly endless fields at night. A harmless bit of fun? Or a night of terror they must fight to survive? Behold, the Probleming.

This will be Bad Bat's first Camden Fringe run, though the team have had years of success at the Fringe as part of ManMoth Productions. This will be the team's second run at the wonderful Tristan Bates Theatre, a lovely theatre in the heart of London's West End. We're delighted to be opening the Camden Fringe at the Tristan Bates as their first show of the festival. We aim to be a tough act to follow. Expect laughs, scares and a whole bunch of fun.

Tickets will be £10, and go on sale on the 1st of June 2014. Check back soon for details on how to book and more info about Bad Bat productions!