The Border Readers proudly present Land Lines, live readings of short stories with a rural setting by some of our finest contemporary writers. They all have something to say in entertaining and relevant ways about life in today's countryside.

In Tim Pear’s poignant story Blue a dying farmer, looking back over his life and times, sees the world anew. In Deborah Moggach's How I Learnt to be a Real Countrywoman London incomer Ruthie's conservation campaign lights up her life and libido. In the Author's Footsteps by Adam Thorpe a determined walker with an outdated guidebook brings mayhem to Milton Keynes. In Protection by Helen Dunmore artist Florence wants to shield her twin girls from possible intruders at their isolated rural home, but just how far will she go in doing so? Jo Scott sets Leap of Faith in the Cheviot hills on midsummer eve where a swim in a moorland lough brings two young villagers together in unexpectedly dramatic ways.

Tickets Members £10.00 Guests £11.50 (Includes a free interval drink)

The Border Readers are a regional association of highly experienced professional actors, led by producer Stephen Tomlin, that since 2018 have been touring village halls, libraries, pubs, galleries, art centres, theatres and other community venues, entertaining local audiences with intimate readings of short form fiction on themes from ghosts to crime.

Website: www.theborderreaders.co.uk Facebook and X (Twitter)

Bella Gaffney (of The Magpies) is a folk troubadour whose music seamlessly weaves together original compositions and traditional tunes from both British folk and Americana traditions. Winner of the prestigious 2016 Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award, Bella is celebrated for her folk-inspired song-writing and unique arrangements of traditional pieces.

In 2023, Bella released her latest album, 'Reflections,' which beautifully captures the essence of connections formed during the lockdown period. Her singles, 'Fair and Tender Ladies' and 'Blood in the Earth,' featuring duets with Sam Kelly and Leesa Gentz (Hussy Hicks), received widespread acclaim and BBC radio airplay.

Apart from her solo endeavors, Bella is a vital member of the folk band The Magpies, lauded as 'effervescent' by The Sunday Times. The Magpies have garnered national and international recognition, including a live session on BBC Radio 2 and hosting an annual sold-out festival.

Bella's live performances are a captivating journey through folk storytelling, leaving audiences with earworm melodies, foot-tapping rhythms, and smiles from her off-beat humor. Her work has been praised by critics and fellow musicians alike, with Americana UK calling her album "a compelling collection" and Mike Harding hailing her as a "great singer, great guitarist, [and] really interesting songwriter." The Daily Mail describes The Magpies music as "folk with finesse."

Tickets Guests £12.00 Members £10.00 BOOK HERE
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"Effervescent" - The Sunday Times 'Great singer, great guitarist, really interesting songwriter' - Mike Harding‘...an absolutely impressive album.’ - Fatea

We welcome back the very talented Isosceles Theatre Company who brought us the amazing show The Man who left the Titanic.

Watch a video here!

 In Edinburgh Between 1827 and 1828 science and murder cling  together in a dance of death. Sixteen people are slaughtered  by Burke and Hare and the devil and all his works prowls  the streets of 'Auld Reekie'. Dr Robert Knox, scientist, doctor

 and anatomist supreme, waits in Surgeons Square to  buy bodies for the sake of  advancing medical knowledge.  His door is chapped, a body is delivered, money is paid and  no questions are asked. A trail of terror leads from West Port  to the dissection table of Robert Knox.  Murder will out and  a price must be paid, even by the anatomist supreme.  Doctor Knox will have to pay that price.

AUDIENCE QUOTES- I go to a lot of theatre and this play and these actors are as good as anything I have seen at the RSC.'

' We enjoyed your play so much - a fascinating story, brilliantly delivered.'

' It was great - two fabulous actors revealing the misfortunes of Edinburgh's ' unknown, ' as told by  Dr. Knox's assistants .'

' A terrific evening. I was gripped from beginning to end .' 

 "A thought-provoking performance...the play was brilliantly acted...Bravo Isosceles !  A superb show, highly recommended."
Dumfries and Galloway Life Magazine

Tickets £13.50 Members £12.00

Starring Hollywood legend Burt Reynolds, A BUNCH OF AMATEURS tells the story of an ageing action hero desperate to revive his flagging career on the British stage and features a distinguished cast, including Academy Award® nominee Imelda Staunton, multi award-winning star of stage, screen and television Sir Derek Jacobi CBE and Samantha Bond. Jefferson Steel (Burt Reynolds) is an ageing Hollywood action hero. He's vain, insecure and out of work. Under pressure from his client, Jefferson's incompetent LA agent is forced to go through his trash in a final attempt to find Jefferson work…

RUNTIME: 1 hr. 36 min. Cert 12A Tickets £8.50 Members £7.50

BOOK HERE

Barney Kenny is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Wiltshire with extensive live experience and a strong following. He plays acoustic and lapsteel/slide guitars and recently supported Seth Lakeman at Salcombe Live Festival’s headline show in October 2023. 

His 2022 album ‘The Seaton Tapes’ was a live ‘in-session’ acoustic record recorded across two days at Rapunzel Studios,Devon.  Without frills, overdubs or session players, the record captures the vibe of Barney’s live shows in their rawest and most stripped back format, exactly as he is on stage! Tickets £13.50 Members £12.00 (includes a free interval drink)

A double bill of Acting Speaks Louder's debut production before they take it to Edinburgh Fringe and a set from local duo Adonis Blue.

Prom to after-party via generational identity crisis- what if the best night of your life turns into the rest of it? Set to an original score combining pop, funk, jazz and of course Disco, Baby. A debut production from a new Cumbrian company.14+

BOOK HERE

Presented by: Acting Speaks Louder

Frognal and Fox – A Life in Song

Cinzia Hardy, in association with CaroleW Productions, presents Frognal & Fox - A Life in Song By Fiona Ellis Directed by Cinzia Hardy.

Dive into a showbiz world full of glamour, optimism, rivalry and acceptance. Meet Margaret Frognal (Jane Holman) and Adele Fox (Zoe Lambert), two fading performers, as they showcase their singing and playing talents accompanied by their bemused and cynical pianist. Beneath the theatrical camaraderie lurks a tension, but what is it and will it be resolved? Featuring favourite songs from stage and screen by songwriters such as Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Stephen Sondheim and Noel Coward, and lesser-known numbers, this raucous, cabaret-style show is not to be missed. Duration: 1hr 40mins including interval Suitability: 12+ A

 Tickets Members £12.00 Guests £13.50 (includes a free drink)

Our Star Theatre Company present their original, campy spoof comedy, Sherlock’s Excellent Adventure!

 Follow Sherlock Holmes and his incomparable sidekick Dr John Watson on this riveting, until now, unpublished case...

Damsel in distress, Lucy Matravers engages Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth, Holmes and his partner Watson to resolve a dispute over a family will. Little do they know that this small case brings Holmes straight into the clutches of his arch enemy, James Moriarty!

This hilarious spoof is taken on by four actors, minimal furnishings and tons of jolly-good-fun… The game’s afoot!

  "A 21st Century Flanders and Swann" The Reviews Hub (Brighton Fringe)

Tickets Members £14.00 Guests £15.50

Charismatic, authentic, and thoroughly entertaining, Lawrence Menard (USA) and Clare Quinn (AUS) are the transpacific-troubadours known as Those Folk.  A partnership forged in the fires of folk music, their songwriting  explores love, hope, belonging, and the human condition.  Breathtaking vocal harmonies are featured alongside rich instrumental work performed on guitar, piano, accordion, mandolin, and banjo; their sound inspired by the likes of Simon & Garfunkel.

“Go see Those Folk and I promise that you won’t regret it!”                - Andrea Kirwin

“Beautiful harmonies together” - Annie Gaffney— ABC Radio

 Tickets - Members £12.00 Guests £14.00 (includes a free interval drink)

Don’t go into the cellar presents- What Ho Wodehouse!

Award-winning actor and writer Jonathan Goodwin performs in a brand new comedy, adapted from some of the early writings of P.G. Wodehouse. This is a light-hearted romp guaranteed to lift the spirits and make one forget about one's cares and worries. Join affable  raconteur Everard "Stinky" Crumpleton-Psmith  as he regales you with tales of fellow Club members' scrapes with irritable secretaries, formidable aunts and bumbling butlers galore!

Tickets Members £12.00 Guests £13.50 SOLD OUT

Blair has been hailed as one of the UK's most accomplished songwriters since he burst into the folk scene with his debut Blight & Blossom (2012). BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards followed along with critical acclaim. In 2016 Blair released on his own label (Gilded Wings) and received wider acclaim and BBC Radio 2 playlisting for singled ‘The Egoist’ and ‘356’. Appearances at Glastonbury and the major Folk Festivals followed, along with breakthrough tours of Australia; and Blair is now firmly established as a household name amongst respected British songwriters. 

" You can hear the folk heritage coursing through his veins as well as the originality he brings to the genre". (Songwriting magazine 2021). 

Tickets Members £14.00 Guests £16.00 (Ticket price includes a free drink!)

Poetry inspired by modern day life and social comment performed with a twinkle, a laugh, and a wry pointy finger-Plus sporadic anecdotes, and his unique 55-word stories. An evening of two halves of Spoken Word and casual banter, including a selection of some of "the UK's favourite poems" as voted by the British public.

Greg has performed in theatres, bookshops, on beaches, under the stars, in tents, village halls, restaurants and bars in the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan...

“A MUST- SEE SHOW! There’s a power in the words and delivery… An excellent show for people who like their comedy to make them think”.    FringeReview

 “Like watching John Cooper Clarke snog John Hegley while Pam Ayres watches" BBC Radio

“Byron is a masterful performer with a hypnotic delivery” Reviews Hub

 www.gregbyron.co.uk twitter/IG - @gregbyronwords

Tickets £14.50 £12.50 including a free drink and a plate of nibbles in the interval!

Come and join us for an evening of brain-stretching fun with a wide selection of subjects covered along with a  home made curry supper served in the middle of the quiz. Vegetarian options are available, please let us know when you book. Bring a bottle of whatever you wish to drink, we will provide glasses (and wash them up).

We have room for 10 teams of 4, or you can book individually and we will put you in a team.                 All tickets £9.50 SOLD OUT

Adam Holmes lyrics resonate like ancient folk songs. His melodies familiar and uplifting. Its not unusual to feel tears rise during his live shows which have the feel of a boozy church service.Think James Bond meets Robert Burns. Classy and timeless.New album, ‘Hope Park’ is the finest of his work to date. Featuring Scotland’s best musicians and a visual release with Scottish writers Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh and Darren McGarvey. Adam cut his teeth in the world of folk music.

Taking a space at the end of the bar in legendary folk pub Sandy Bells at eight years old to soak up the music.Age 15, The death of a close friend and a cascade into addiction. He found his way out through the focus of rapping until a singer booked didn’t show, Adam stepped up and discovered his voice.

Leaving school and moving out the family home age 16 he worked construction.On the very same day he was finally offered a Carpentry apprenticeship aged 19 he received a phone-call offering him a place in the semi finals of the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2009.

Tickets Members £12 Guests £14 (your ticket includes a free drink) BOOK HERE

Support- JP WORSFOLD

J P Worsfold is a writer of emotional contemplative contemporary folk songs that speak of connection, joy and belonging. With a subtle blend of rich vocal harmony, sweeping string arrangements alongside heartfelt piano and guitar, they are songs to evoke life’s deeper meaning, inspire connection within ourselves and the natural space around us. J P and his Band of Gold recreate two albums of original material, with spellbinding songs and performances that leave audiences feeling genuinely moved by a truly magical event. Throughout his career J P has shared staged with Niall McCabe, Adam Holmes and Ben Ottewell "Music is the space in which I feel closer to the core of what I am than in anything else and my voice is always the vessel that delivers me to that place."

"Listening to J P leaves me spellbound, captivated with every song. He sings from the heart with honesty and conviction." Emma Linton, BBC

Come and join us for an evening of storytelling as Peter Macqueen reads from Dickens’ stories and enjoy some festive food as you listen!

“Joy Laughter, a spine tingling shiver and perhaps the odd tear evoked by the mastery of the Dickens pen brought vividly to life by Mr Macqueen as he revels in reading some of the Christmas writings of the great author- Including excerpts from The Haunted Man, The Pickwick Papers, The story of the Goblins, Great Expectations, Sketches by Boz and……well it wouldn’t be Christmas without a slice of Humbug …. A Christmas Carol.

Includes a set menu of Christmas Canapes, Hot Roast Pork and stuffing rolls and Christmas Pudding or Trifle. Vegetarian option available, please let us know of any dietary requirements when booking.

Please feel free to bring your own drinks!

Tickets Members £18.00 Guests £20.00 BOOK HERE

  ‘So…” is a new entertainment by winners of the Herald Archangel at Edinburgh in 2019, the legendary independent “masters of comic invention”, Ridiculusmus, in which two long-lost brothers overcome their polarized perception and come together to get something done while sorting through their late mother’s estate. Business, personal matters and the right connection for some vintage technology pepper a joyfully chaotic exchange that somehow embraces everything difficult and wrong in the world and proposes workable solutions that will definitely not “blow you away” but warm the cockles of your battered heart. Made in lockdown via zoom, it began as Brexit response, became a Covid response and then a lament on separation. Written and performed by David Woods and Jon Haynes, the co-artistic directors and founders of Ridiculusmus, a 30 year artistic partnership of international acclaim, avant-garde mess and polymathic pursuit of the ever unattainable. 

 Tickets Friends £11.00 Guests £12.50 (Ticket includes a free drink)

TICKETS AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR

 Winner of the Jury Shark Award, FinFringe, 2022

 ‘So… had the audience laughing, squirming and wanting more.’ (Lisa Wolfe, Fringe Review)

Robbie performs self penned, unscrubbed tales of heartbreak, loss, love and discovery, and when he puts pen to paper, he lives by his own words; ‘The more you wrestle with an idea, the more contrived it becomes’. Robbie writes with honesty, emotion, and most importantly, instinct. www.robbiecavanagh.co.uk

Tickets Members £10 Guests £12 (Includes a free drink!) BOOK HERE

Though his last record ‘To Leave/To Be Left’  received high praise from fans and industry professionals, it’s Robbie’s live performance that has really turned heads and attracted much deserved attention. Stepping out on stage with his long hair, Levi’s and stetson, a guitar over his shoulder and a well earned confidence in his chest, Robbie can hardly open his mouth without also opening his heart.

Performance is Robbie’s way of channelling emotion, with his passion and energy being incredibly contagious. WATCH HIM HERE

2022 sees the release of Robbie’s much anticipated 3rd album ‘Tough Love’, the release of which will coincide with a UK tour and a run of summer festival appearances.

“It’s timeless, it’s stunning and it should be in your record collection. It’s not just a phase, it’s a friend.” House In The Sand

One of my absolute favourite UK grassroots artists” ~ Bob Harris

The Border Readers take to the road this Autumn with 'Murder They Write'. Live readings of brilliant short stories by northern based leading crime writers Ann Cleeves, Martin Edwards and Cath Staincliffe.

A varying combination of core readers and guests will play individual venues through October and November. Janine Birkett, Stephen Tomlin and Grace Kirby are scheduled to be joined by friends Sarah Thurstan, Wynne Potts, Roberta Kerr, Helen Longworth, Sue McCormick and Peter Macqueen.

Tickets (including a free interval drink) Members £10 members Guests £11.50 BOOK HERE

Tonight’s stories:-

The Habit of Silence' by Ann Cleeves is a 'Vera' murder whodunnit played out in the Lit & Phil library with a backstory set on the Roman wall.

 The Case of the Musical Butler - Martin Edwards'  homage to Sherlock Holmes, where the great detective's search for a missing person unearths a hidden identity in the process.

 'Riviera' - Cath Staincliffe A brilliant black comedy delivered as a Victoria Wood style monologue.

There's a Vampire behind you! This is a hilarious spoof of the Dracula story done panto style... A bewildering series of costume changes with just 2 performers brings you a Dame, a naughty Count, countless others and great songs too. An evening of first class fun for everyone aged 8 - 80, and don't think you have to bring a child to have a good time. Do come - the Master is expecting you...

Members £11 Guests £12.50 Children £7 (8-18) (includes an interval drink) BOOK HERE

Audience comments- “I absolutely loved the show, it was a tonic."

"My ribs are aching from all the laughter."

"I love everything you do but I think this maybe the best - it was original, clever and great fun."

"The whole family had a whale of a time. We've seen lots of pantos and this one is the best."

Watch the trailer here Dracula the Panto

Painted Sky have only recently emerged onto the UK folk scene, but they have already made a lasting impression with their progressive acoustic sound. Original material thoughtfully balances the duo’s roots in traditional English music. They seamlessly blend tunes from further afield too, from the complex rhythms of Eastern Europe to the stomping fiddle tunes of Quebec, to create a distinct and borderless synthesis of contemporary folk. 

Members £10 Guests £12 (Ticket includes a free drink)

BOOK HERE

George and Holly have been playing together for as long as they can remember. Recently both have worked on independent projects, with George performing solo and Holly, perhaps best known for being one quarter of transatlantic folk band, The Magpies. But the siblings are always drawn back to each other’s playing and their lifelong musical history is reflected in tight-knit instrumentals and harmonies. Their songs are characterised by honest vocals and timeless storytelling, underpinned by driving rhythms. Whilst their exquisite instrumentals weave delicate finger-picking guitar and soaring fiddle with a dynamic energy.  

 The duo have played live shows around the UK, with festival highlights including performances at Towersey Festival, Beardy Folk Festival, Edlefest and Thame Town Music Festival. Following the release of their debut EP - Dawn - in 2020, Painted Sky are set to release their debut album later this year. 

 ‘Terribly splendid’ - RnR Magazine

 ‘Anthemic’ - Folking.com

 ‘International folk sound, lovely harmonies … really like that!’ - BBC Music Introducing, York

 ‘A quality act in our midst’ - Northern Sky

 ‘Finely showcases the talents of this superb, up and coming duo. I don’t often give five stars to anything but this EP definitely gets five stars from me.’ - Folk Roots List

 Official Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK6wWpbmCEk  

Live Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBTSr87pjtM 

Website: https://paintedskyfolk.weebly.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/paintedskyfolk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paintedskyfolk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/paintedskyfolk?lang=en

Having spent her adult life running away, adopting new identities, and rewriting her own history, Larissa Bell is finally happy and ready to settle down. But when it comes to your past you can run, but you can’t hide - shared secrets, and the sudden appearance of a familiar face, threaten not just her happiness, but her life itself.

 With minimal set, this play will utilise light and sound to weave the plot through flashbacks, fantasies and even a play within a play - navigating us through Larissa’s fractured reality.

 Whilst this will be the group’s first ever all-female cast, it will be Purple Dreams’ tenth touring production, and their fourth visit to the Staveley Roundhouse Theatre!

 Since 2019, we’ve brought you comedies such as The Last Crumb and Love Games, alongside the whodunit The Empty Stage – we hope you’ll join as again for our latest adventure!

 This is a brand-new production and will be just the second performance of this theatrical, dramatic and mind-bending story. Please visit the ‘Running from Paradise’ page at www.purpledreamsproductions.com to leave your thoughts, ask any questions or maybe even learn some secrets!

Members £11.00 Guests £12.50 (Ticket includes a free interval drink)

SOLD OUT

Chris Murphy is that rare breed of musician that creates and performs in a multitude of music worlds with ease. As he searches for new ways to communicate through music, fusing styles and techniques from across the globe. For 25 years, and with no sign of slowing, violinist Chris  has made a living by writing, performing and recording original music. For Murphy, the path forward is charted by looking backward, to the troubadours and minstrels of ages past.  Born into an Irish-Italian family near New York City,  Murphy was surrounded by the disparate and eclectic sounds of his neighbours’ traditional music and was influenced by everything – from Italian-mandolin music and  bluegrass and from folk  to rock ‘n’ roll.

Tickets Members £10.00 Guests £12.00 (Ticket includes a free interval drink) BOOK HERE

A warm and deeply moving story about old age. When the geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital is threatened with closure, the hospital decides to fight back by galvanizing the local community: they invite a news crew to film their preparations for a concert in honour of the hospital's most distinguished nurse. What could go wrong? ALLELUJAH celebrates the spirit of the elderly patients whilst paying tribute to the deep humanity of the medical staff battling with limited resources and ever-growing demand. 1 hr 39 mins 12A

Tickets £9 members £8 including a free drink BOOK HERE

When Isaac Williams set off to catch his usual bus, little did he realise that he’d meet the most important people of his life… quickly falling for kind-hearted Sophie, he finds himself fighting for her affection with rival suitor Chris.  It’s not until Sophie’s feisty friend Zoe shows up though that it comes apparent that, ultimately, everyone is playing ‘Love Games’.

Purple Dreams Productions are excited to return to Staveley Roundhouse Theatre in 2023, celebrating 10 years of touring their saucy comedy, offering audiences plenty of love, lust with laughter and lies.

 Tickets Friends £11.00 Guests £12.50 (includes a free interval drink)

SOLD OUT!