John Peel Theatre
The Little Theatre at the Heart of Wigton
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Our Next Production:
Murder is (Festively) Served
Tickets available online
or by phoning 01697 424624
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President: Melvyn Bragg
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Our Facilities:
Proscenium arch theatre
90 raked seats
Wheelchair access
Induction loop
Licensed bar
Real coffee
Ice cream & snacks
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Registered Charity No: 1178881
Entertaining Wigton
for 70 Years
Open Mic Night
Next event: 6th December *Christmas Special*
Running live in the theatre. Places must be booked via TicketSource
Check our Facebook page and newsletter for details.
7:30pm start
Find your voice in a relaxed and supportive environment. We invite artists to register and book a slot at no charge.
Entrance is also free for non-performers
Contact us to register or for further information:
openmic or via the theatre Facebook page.
Folk at The John Peel
Charlie Dore and Julian Littman
The Man Who Built Christmas Tour
Following their fabulous concert in 2023, Charlie and Julian are back to delight us with their Christmas show.
The Man Who Built Christmas Tour
From the celebrated singer & songwriter of worldwide hits
Playing with the stellar multi-instrumentalist Julian Littman
Charlie Dore’s songs have been recorded by the good and the great including George Harrison, Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Martha Wainwright, Jimmy Nail and Ricky Ross, but her live shows reveal that she keeps the best songs for herself.
In a career of several decades, this multi-award-winner realised she had never written a Christmas song. Proving that there’s a first time for everything Charlie Dore presents her live show - The Man Who Built Christmas. Alongside her long-time collaborator Julian Littman of Steeleye Span the pair swap guitars, piano, harmonium, mandolin, ukulele and stories as they showcase these yuletide originals as well as favourites from the past nine albums and several songs never before heard live.
“My entire catalogue was a Christmas-free zone, which was fine by me. Except for one song, Santa and Edie, which I wrote for the Green Note’s Festive Show. This whet my appetite for approaching the whole Christmas thing from different angles, trying for unusual plots, like making miniature movies with the listener behind the camera.”
As one of the UK’s most respected songwriters her albums, described as ‘eclectic contemporary folk-americana with crunchy lyrics’ continue to win awards on both sides of the Atlantic, most recently Female Vocalist Of The Year (FATEA, 2020) and Best Lyrics (Like Animals, US Indie Acoustic, 2021). Charlie has also played major festivals including Glastonbury, Celtic Connections, Cropredy, Shrewsbury Folk and Ventnor and headlined some of the UK’s most prestigious venues including Kings Place and Liverpool Philharmonic.
Recent live sessions for Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2) playing + co-hosting for Ricky Ross’/Another Country (BBC Radio Scotland) as well as an inclusion on Ken Bruce’s final BBC show prove Charlie’s relevance and ability to capture the imagination of an increasing audience. She’s also recently collaborated with Michelle Stodart of The Magic Numbers and rising folk star Katie Spencer.
“…earnest and witty, tender and cynical all at the same time… profound, moving and oddly haunting.” RnR Magazine
“Subtle songs that pack a punch… absolute gems of modern songwriting.” Mike Harding
“.. one of our most intelligent and erudite singer-songwriters.” Fatea Magazine
“ …her dark wit sculpts her lovely lyricism her gentle, unique voice is one to die for.” Folk Wales
https://www.charliedore.com/
Tickets £16
Murder is (Festively) Served
By Jo West
14th December 2:00pm
Wigton John Peel theatre presents their latest murder mystery.
Celebrations are underway in Greater Mistry. Chez Venenos's new menu is to die for. A surprise birthday party among the festivities descends into chaos and not everyone is who they seem to be. Whose secret will be the most deadly?
Before the turkey is carved, someone is the victim of fowl play.
Can you follow the clues and reveal the murderer? Release your inner sleuth and enjoy some festive fun.
Tickets: Adult £12 Child £8
Price includes a glass of fizz (alcohol free available) or a party bag (child's ticket)
Virtual Open Mic Night
Next event: 14th December 2024 - Christmas Special (Saturday for this month only)
Running virtually on Zoom.
Check our Facebook page and newsletter for details.
7:30pm start
Find your voice in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Pre-recorded videos and live performances are all accepted. Please check that your audio settings are optimised for music if you are performing live (this is a good guide on how to do it).
You can upload your videos here.
Contact Kate Jensen to register or for further information:
openmic or via the theatre Facebook page.
Folk at The John Peel
Lee Collinson
From the earliest age Lee has been blessed with fingers capable of guitar-playing beyond mere mortals! His solo career began in 1987 after experiencing life as a lead guitarist in a number of rock bands. His impact was immediate, captivating audiences at folk clubs and festivals, reaching the BBC ‘Young Folk’ finals – twice, touring in a trio with Keith Hancock and Clive Gregson, and forging a successful solo career with his eclectic repertoire comprising folk and blues in all of its forms. His albums, co-produced by Dave Swan, feature guest appearances from the likes of Christine Collister, Barb Jungr and Tom McConville and his career has taken him all over the world.
Lee can switch from contemporary and traditional folk, to 50s style, blues and jazz. He started out by playing in rock band Cloud Nine, the duo, Richard III and then another rock band, Typically Max. In 1987, Collinson embarked upon a solo career, and was twice a finalist in BBC Radio’s Young Tradition Award. The subsequent broadcast, and a chance meeting with Spiv Records at a folk festival, resulted in his debut release, Limbo, followed by the much lauded Slip the Driver a Fiver.
Then miss a few years in his musical history for family and his career as a skipping coach... (ask him...)
So it 's a few years, now, since Lee Collinson was the up-and-coming darling of the folk festival circuit with his carefully chosen set of songs and his party-piece of Prince's Kiss, played strictly for laughs. It's funny, he says, everyone remembers Kiss, yet it was really my guitar work that I was most proud of. And proud he should be. Lee is a fabulous guitarist; not only that but a super singer. And he's better than ever.
"A lightning fingered guitarist and singer" - The Guardian
“Always engaging, always brilliant.” - The Ram Club
"Lee Collinson is one of Britain's finest acoustic guitarists and singers. Lee's immense versatility is demonstrated in the range of music he plays - from traditional and contemporary folk to bottleneck interpretations of modern rock and blues." - allgigs.com
Tickets £15
Pink!
The Panto!
22nd and 23rd February 2:00pm
Life in Panto land is perfect, everyone works at the toy factory producing wonderful toys, and everyone is happy. That is, until the evil Lord Plunderjoy starts to work his dark magic. Darbie, Polly and Tilly are three dolls who come to life when student of magic, Gloria, helps the town to fight back.
Will Darbie, Den and Gloria, helped by Mrs B, our redoubtable Dame and a host of other wacky characters, overcome the evil Lord? Will there be music, singing and dancing? Will there be lots of fun and laughter? Oh yes there will!
Book early to avoid disappointment!
Please note:
Saturday 22nd's matinee performance will be a relaxed performance with reduced lighting and sound effects.
Tickets: Adult £12 Child £8
Folk at The John Peel
Miranda Sykes and Jim Causley
'The Last Of The Singers’ Tour 2025
Two of the UK’s most iconic voices have finally combined as a duo and will be touring a new album in 2025.
Miranda Sykes and Jim Causley have known each other for nearly 20 years and in 2024 they united with John Palmer to create and tour a show celebrating the centenary of the death of the song collector and author Sabine Baring - Gould.
They enjoyed working together so much and audience feedback was so positive that they made plans to record and tour an album together.
“The Last Of The Singers” is a collection of traditional, self penned and contemporary songs bringing their magical voices together.
Jim Causley
“The Finest Singer of his generation”
MOJO MAGAZINE
“Miranda Sykes has spent so much time working with Show Of Hands its easy to forget what a good solo performer she is...gorgeous and very compelling stuff”
ROCK N REEL
https://www.mirandasykes.com/
https://www.jimcausley.co.uk/
Tickets £18
Folk at The John Peel
Chris Wood
Reflections on minor league football, empty nest syndrome, learning to swim, Cook-in Sauce and of course, the Gecko as a metaphor for contemporary society!
Tom Robinson and Chris Difford are fans while Stick In The Wheel and The Unthanks look to him as an influence. In a world of soundbites and distractions Chris Wood is a truth seeker. His writing is permeated with love and wry intelligence, uplifting and challenging as he celebrates the sheer one-thing-after-anotherness of life.
Winner of 6 BBC Folk Awards, he's played with The Royal Shakespeare Company and was a key member of The Imagined Village along with Billy Bragg, Martin and Eliza Carthy. A wise and soulful craftsman, his concerts are a cliche free zone.
The Herald ***** 5 Stars
“As close as it gets to a perfect union of voice and guitar, lyrics and melody, compassion, irony, realism, wit, and humanity.”
The Irish Times ***** 5 Stars
“Nobody comes even close to equaling his bird’s-eye-view.”
Mojo **** 4 Stars
“a rarefied talent, both as writer and interpreter.”
http://chriswoodmusic.co.uk/
Tickets £18
Handbagged
by Moira Buffini
Handbags, hairspray and sensible shoes.
The monarch - Liz.
Her most powerful subject - Maggie.
One believed there was no such thing as society. The other had vowed to serve it.
'A satire full of mischief and gossip'
The Times
'A clever, funny and charming political comedy'
Guardian
Tickets: Adult £10
Folk at The John Peel
Chris While and Julie Matthews
With 30 years of unrivalled musical partnership and gathering numerous nominations, awards and critical acclaim along the way, much beloved British singer-songwriters Chris While and Julie Matthews celebrated a quarter of a century last year as one of the best loved and most prolific female duos to come out of this country.
They have played more than 2,600 gigs, appeared on over 100 albums, written hundreds of original songs and reached millions of people around the world. They are also part of female super group, Daphne’s Flight (Helen Watson, Melanie Harrold & Miranda Sykes) and Christmas band, St. Agnes Fountain with Fairport’s Chris Leslie. Now, 30 years after their debut, they sound as fresh and vital as ever.
Chris While (vocals, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, bodhran and percussion) & Julie Matthews (vocals, piano, guitar, mandolin and bouzouki) are stunning singers, songwriters, musicians and performers whose energy and commitment to their craft and their audience is boundless.
it's a real honour just to be an audience member but I've had the added honour of standing on a stage with them playing along in the background, things like that I'll treasure forever, truly gifted human beings"
Richard Hawley
"Chris While is the best singer in England" Eddi Reader
Froots simply called Julie Matthews 'awesomely talented'.
www.whileandmatthews.com
Tickets £18