Fly, You Fools! has announced Jack Baldwin, Charlie Burt, David Hoskin, Charlie Ives and Laurence Pears as the comic relief Hobbits in its London debut at Southwark Playhouse Borough, where it runs from Wednesday 25 November 2026 to Saturday 16 January 2027, with a press night on Friday 27 November prior to a run at Birmingham Rep. Baldwin, Ives and Pears return to Recent Cutbacks following their sensational performances in Hold On To Your Butts.
Created by the team behind Hold On To Your Butts, Fly, You Fools! is a live parody of the most epic fantasy story of all time – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – in 60-minutes of Middle-earth mayhem. Four performers take on the epic adventure, recreating Middle-earth through physical comedy, live sound effects, character impersonations, mime and theatrical ingenuity.
Trained at LAMDA, Jack Baldwin’s theatre credits include The Play That Goes Wrong (Duchess), The Comedy About a Bank Robbery (Criterion), Hold On To Your Butts (Arcola) and Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience, alongside television appearances in Gandhi Before India and Secret Invasion.
Charlie Burt trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance, with credits including Doctor Who: Time Fracture (West End) and The Immersive Great Gatsby (West End and Brussels). She has also worked as a movement director on Peaky Blinders: The Rise (West End).
Charlie Ives returns as Foley performer, creating the live sound effects that help conjure the world, as well as taking on the role of Galadriel. Ives trained at ArtsEd and has appeared in A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story (Nottingham Playhouse and Alexandra Palace), Private Lives (Ambassadors), Mrs Warren’s Profession (Theatre Royal Bath) and Tabby McTat (Hong Kong and Singapore). Her screen credits include Sherlock Holmes: An Online Adventure and The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman. She has also worked as a pianist for The Internet Was Made for Adults at the Vaults and as assistant musical director on Like I Care.
Laurence Pears’ theatre credits include The Play That Goes Wrong, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and Hold On To Your Butts. He is also the winner of the 2024 Cornwall Comedian of the Year award and co-founder of Cornwall-based theatre company Jam First Theatre.
David Hoskin will understudy all the characters performed by Baldwin, Burt and Pears. An award-winning comic, physical performer, writer and voiceover artist, Hoskin trained at École Philippe Gaulier. His comedy credits include David Hoskin: A Haunted House and Frankie Monroe: Live!!! (Soho Theatre), Gutter: A Bouffon Ritual (The Pen, Bermondsey) and BATSU! (Underbelly Boulevard). His theatre work includes Phantom Peak (Canada Water) and Gorgon: A Horror Story (VAULT Festival), alongside film credits including One Must Change and Mi Casa Su Casa.
The team are also excited to announce a special family ticket offer at select performances, with four tickets for £110 when purchased in any combination of adult and child (under 16), with at least one child ticket per booking. This offer is a brilliant opportunity for audiences aged eight and above to experience the magic of Middle-earth on stage.
Director, producer and co-founder of Recent Cutbacks Kristin McCarthy Parker said:
“Fly, You Fools! is our love letter to Tolkien’s world, and bringing it to London during the 25th anniversary feels like a homecoming. UK audiences have shown Recent Cutbacks so much love since Hold On To Your Butts, and we’re thrilled to bring the Butts team into the Fellowship. Whether you’re a superfan of the novels and films or encountering them for the first time, this show will bring plenty of joy and humour to your holiday season.”
The London run arrives in the 25th anniversary year of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring film release, following the show’s sell-out Edinburgh seasons and the success of Recent Cutbacks’ Hold On To Your Butts, which won over UK audiences in 2024 and 2025.
Tickets are on sale now, available at: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/fly-you-fools/
