England, 1206. The Crown wants their tavern. The villagers revolt. Nothing goes to plan… and that’s exactly the plan!
Following a sell-out Sydney Fringe debut at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2025 and a successful season at the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2026, A Kingdom of Fools returns to Sydney.
The laugh-out-loud medieval farce comes to the Eternity Playhouse for a strictly limited season from 16 – 26 July, where a humble village tavern becomes the battleground in a hilarious clash of knights, nobles, and peasants.
“I thought it was brilliant… everyone was amazing… it was funny, clever… it was just great.”
-Amanda Keller, Australian TV & radio personality.
A Kingdom of Fools follows Sir William Drakeford, an ambitious nobleman in the service of King John, and his well-intentioned but accident-prone knight, Sir Guy Ashcombe, as they set out to bring the village of Gotham under royal control. Unfortunately for the Crown, the locals have other ideas, and the mission quickly unravels into glorious chaos.
Created by Sydney playwright and performer Ryan Atkins, A Kingdom of Fools is for anyone who loves larger-than-life characters, clever wordplay, and unapologetic theatrical chaos.
Featuring a full-scale medieval tavern, period-accurate costumes, and a stage filled with authentic medieval props, the production brings thirteenth-century England vividly to life while delivering laugh after laugh.
At its heart, A Kingdom of Fools is about the struggle between those who have power and those who must live with its consequences, a story that feels just as relevant today as it did in medieval England.
The result is a cathartic farce that revels in the downfall of the powerful, delighting audiences as privilege is mocked, authority is stripped bare, and the mighty are brought low.
“A love letter to the comic styling of British farce… a fun and uproarious piece of period comedy”
– See Do Eat Review
This is an evening of comedy not to be missed! Raise a tankard, join the fools, and prepare to laugh yourself senseless.
A Kingdom of Fools runs 16 – 26 July at the Eternity Playhouse. 39 Burton Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010.
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/a-kingdom-of-fools
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/akingdomoffools/
Images supplied.
Creatives Director Ryan Atkins Production Assistant Alessia Giglio Set Constructor Nic You Lee
Cast:
Yarno Rohling as Sir William Drakeford
Brendan Atkins as Sir Guy Ashcombe
Meredith Welch as Mildreth
Lachlan Atkins as Gerd
Nala Davies as Ethelfleda
Ryan Atkins as Alfric
Alex Hutchinson-Smith as Thomas
Arnold Walsh as Father Godric
Running time: Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission.
Content warnings: This production is rated M. The show contains mild coarse language and sexual references.
Please note: A Kingdom of Fools features a small amount of simulated blood effects.
Created in partnership with the team behind A Kingdom of Fools. For more information about our partnerships, visit here.
