Rufus Hound, Les Dennis and Caroline Quentin are guest stars in comedy podcast for Buxton Fringe

Their radio comedy is among more than 70 productions to stream online during the Fringe which is running until July 19.

Theatre company founders Yaz Al-Shaater, Tom Crawshaw and Michael Grady-Hall have enlisted stars Les Dennis, Rufus Hound, Youssef Kerkour and Caroline Quentin for the five-part comedy.

Les is cast as a bungling wizard, Rufus as a bankrupt space-ranger, Youssef as an acerbic butler and Caroline as an evil scientist who risks destroying the world.

Three's Company's Adventure Department follows the trio's attempts to record a serious theatre podcast, which is unfortunately interrupted each episode by an urgent adventure.

Series one sees them rescuing an island from a wicked witch, saving the Queen from aliens, solving a murder mystery and taking down a film noir crime boss - all before attempting to stop a zombie apocalypse in the dramatic season finale.

Tom said: "The cast are all people we've worked with on projects before - for instance Michael was recently in a show at the RSC and Caroline Quentin was also in the cast. When we wrote the scripts we thought of all the people we'd worked with who'd be best for the parts and then sent them the scripts. We explained this was a very small-scale project - being recorded in one of our adapted bedrooms - but they really liked the scripts and were so friendly and keen to help out.

"It was fantastic to work with such talented actors and I think it really made us all up our game, even if it is for a bit of a silly adventuring comedy podcast.

"Getting all the people together to record has been the main challenge, but once lockdown hit it actually became easier as actors were happy to record bits from home and we've been able to stitch it all together. It's quite different from being on stage but I think the effect is quite impressive."

Yaz, Tom and Michael started their theatre company when they were 15, having met at Buxton Community School, and did their first show at the Fringe in 2003.

Now working in theatre/film in London, the three friends left Buxton when they were 20 but return for the Fringe every year to run the festival's Underground venue which has hosted shows at the Old Hall, Old Clubhouse and Pavilion Arts Centre since 2006.

Three's Company's Adventure Department will premiere online as part of the Fringe (running until July 19). The first two episodes are available to download on July 3 from 7pm. Subsequent episodes then follow each fortnight - all completely free.

All episodes can be found at threescompany.co.uk/adventure.

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