The Desperate Men

15/06/2026

We now have an overview of the company up on the website of the highly prestigious Bristol University Theatre Collection .Our archive is there and you could well be in one or more of the 50 boxes on the shelves. At any point in the future those interested can book ahead,go and explore the Desperate Men Collection of memorabilia ,photos and digital content. In many years time researchers jaws will drop at how such a ridiculous,dynamic and imaginative theatre company ever existed See link
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatre-collection/explore/theatre/desperate-men-archive/
Photo-Our Lada from The Miracle Show being destroyed by Richard Hammond on telly

08/06/2026

https://desperatemen.com/the-four-horsemen-of-the-apocalypse-1999-2001/
Here's that showreel filmed in The Circus Bath. (Bath Fringe-Thanks for the booking)
As Jo K asked in the previous post would this be made and toured now?
This is a product of experienced artists responding,devising and creating thought provoking edgy entertainment for all.Art at people.Not with people.
Could we these days catapult fish over the audience and try and start the apocalypse.I doubt it.But the themes are even more with us these days as they were 27 years ago at the end of the last century.
PS Jon's dad Chris played GOD

Our hapless horse trainer gets a nasty surprise as Sugar, Trigger, Peter and The Other One fulfil their biblical destiny. Complete with raining fish. Guaranteed to scare the kids. Devised by the company with script help from Paddy Fletcher. Designed by Sean Donahoe. Soundtrack by Shirley Pegna. Fund...

08/06/2026

Further to our post with the Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse set,here are the horses and trainers revealed.They were of course just actors.Richie Smith & Jon Beedell - shared the role of the Trainer. (Shirley Pegna did for the record perform once as The Trainer).The Horses-Joanna Kessell-War,Joanna Smith-Famine,Vic Llewellyn-Pestilence,Richard Headon-The Other One-Death.After an idea from Jo K,we created it in 1999 and it toured for 3 years.Our wrap up meeting was held on the 11th Sept 2001 just as the twin towers were under attack.
A fantastic soundscape from Shirley Pegna and wonderful costumes by Sean Donohoe.
For full images and our promo film see https://desperatemen.com/the-four-horsemen-of-the-apocalypse-1999-2001/

03/06/2026

A great read.Some seriously good reflections from Dorothy Max Prior. The Streets of Brighton was always a beacon of brave & bold outdoor performance

Brighton Festival was once at the forefront of the UK’s outdoor arts scene. Street theatre and site-specific shows were the jewel in the Festival’s crown. Total Theatre Magazine’s editor Dorothy Max Prior reports on the state of the art in 2026, as witnessed at Brighton Festival 2026.

02/04/2026

Random recall of the day.
After 25 years I think we can come clean..
The day the BBC had to apologise on our behalf.
Our film crew had lined up with others after the diamond heist at The Millenium Dome.
The sound boom had 'accidently' been dropped on reporter Gene Creme's head
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1012160.stm

19/03/2026

Rien ne change-In our Tme.
Dadaism.100 years ago.
Then and Now

Listen live to Radio 4 on BBC Sounds

03/03/2026

And what are you up to now is a question that regularly pops up ? And as if by magic we have created a 'Where are they now? section on Desperate Mens website.
Updates on Richie,Shirley & Richard .Also with special guests Will & Louie Pegna
https://desperatemen.com/where-are-they-now/

26/02/2026

Richie & Richard visited the secret bunker at the Uni of Bristol Theatre Collection (weirdly held at the Vet School) where our archive is held.
We hadn't peeped inside the 50 boxes for many years.
Given we currently don't have the resources to fully archive everything we have decided to focus on the moving image side of things.There's a huge amount of film,VHS tapes,dvd's to be sorted, digitalised & added to the DM website.
Whilst there I came across this dvd cover of our lovely lada being blown up on TV by Richard Hammond
Apologies for the croaky spluttering & coughing commentaries...No voice warmups!

23/02/2026

10 years ago this week Jon & Richard were in La Isleta del Moro in Cabo de Gata,Spain.Ostensibly we were there filming Part 4 of our Bristol Loves Tides tidal project with Polly Barnes & Hugh Thomas from My Future My Choice.However we also squeezed in under the direction of Nathan Hughes (Rough Glory Films) & camera operator, Jacob Parish film material & interviews that became the award winning film 'Washed Up'.
Winners of 6 laurels across the globe at short film festivals,Desperate Men are still extremely proud of what we all created.It is also highly poignant giving Jon's passing.Was it all about death? You can still watch it on our website https://desperatemen.com/washed-up/ and read about the post-production team who really brought everything together. https://www.washedupfilm.com/
Finally many thanks to our Crowd Fund contributors who made it all possible.