About Us

Running Joke Theatre Company was formed in 2024 by Ash Baker and Ben Sowden, backstage during a run of Noel Cowards's Tonight at 8.30, after a chance remark about a potential future project was seized upon as something that might just work. Before long, our debut production was cast and in rehearsal, with enough ideas for what might follow to keep us busy for some time.

And so it came to pass, that in November 2024 we brought our first production - Accidental Death of An Anarchist - to life at the Limelight Theatre at the Queen's Park Arts Centre (QPAC) in Aylesbury. It was a wild an exhilarating ride, with a lot of hard work both on and off stage, but we made our crazy dream a reality - and boy was it worth it! Audiences went wild for our slice of anarchy which emboldened us to go again!

Next up was A Passionate Woman in April 2025 - an incredibly personal project for Ben, who wanted to put this play on in memory of the playwright and his Godmother, Kay Mellor. We returned to QPAC and brought Betty's attic - and roof with working skylight - to life!

October '25 saw us put on Skellig - more family friendly than our previous two, but still packing an emotional punch as we followed Michael's journey into Skellig's magical world, with some fantastic performances from a mixture of experienced and fresh-faced acting talent on the QPAC stage.

Next up in June 2026 - Noel Coward's Present Laughter. Our version shifts the action to 1960s London, reflecting the styles, attitudes, and fluidity of the time.

Future productions:

October 2026

Wonder Boy, by Ross Willis

April 2027

The Witches, by Roald Dahl