In these riotous revisionist plays, The Penny Dreadfuls present alternative takes on three icons, ably assisted by guests including Miles Jupp, Mark Heap, Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Amanda Abbington and Sylvester McCoy.

In The Penny Dreadful's Present: Le Carré on Spying, we follow David Cornwell's (Le Carré's real name) desperate efforts to uncover the latest mole in the secret service. John F Kennedy's official visit to Berlin looms and the pressure is on to get to the truth.

In The Penny Dreadful's Present: Don Quixote, Cervantes' mighty tome has been condensed into an hour's entertainment. Join peasant Sancho and the man who thinks he's a Knight, locked in a quest to save those who don't want saving and unravel enchantments which may or may not only exist in their minds.

The Penny Dreadful's Present: Hadrian's Beard, Emperor Hadrian's instinct is to protect himself and Rome with a wall across England, but if he does build one won't the locals just go around it in little boats?

Cast and crew

Le Carré on Spying
David Cromwell...Miles Jupp
Narrator...Mark Heap
Lizbeth / Mrs M...Margaret Cabourn-Smith
All other roles...The Penny Dreadfuls: Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck

Don Quixote
Narrator...Amanda Abbington
Don Quixote...Sylvester McCoy
Sancho Panza ...Thom Thuk

Hadrian's Beard
Emperor Hadrian...Tony Gardner
Queen Bridget...Mina Anwar
All other roles...The Penny Dreadfuls: Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck, with Margaret Cabourn-Smith.

Written by David Reed
Produced by Julia McKenzie
A BBC Studios Production