Liars' League

Aelwyd by Lianne Warr

Read by David Mildon (5th story in podcast, at 1hXXmin, here) *Aelwyd: Welsh for hearth, and for home.

Braith fills her lungs with the chill morning air, petrichor on the breeze. She avoids slipping on the icy path winding to the cottage doorstep (thanks to those sturdy legs; that broad, stomping gait). To her left, there is lavender — a solitary bee braving the frost. A gold-speckled moth flickers between the dwindling mint and hardy rosemary on her right. Raised in an underground world, Braith has yet to learn the names for perfumed plants, or creatures that flutter. Her fingers find their way to the moon of her scalp and worry at the few downy tufts left there. She takes another breath and paints on a smile, careful to cover her missing teeth.

Red Nose by Rhys Timson

Read by Zach Harrison (3rd story in podcast, at XXmin, here)

Hi. My name is Rudy, and I'm an alcoholic. It's been 364 days since my last drink, but I still worry about falling off the wagon. Or should that be sleigh? I've done that a few times, actually.

It isn't easy being sober in my line of work. I spend most of the year doing nothing. The months of idleness are hard on someone with my weaknesses. You know how the saying goes, the devil makes work for idle hooves. These past few years, I’ve been through some dark times — and I don’t just mean the polar night — but I feel that, slowly but surely, I’m clambering back up to the daylight.

The Visit by Marta Patiño

Read by Carrie Cohen (2nd story in podcast, at 16min 30s, here)

Cassandra could not explain why she was compelled to visit Chance House. Or why she had dreamt of the grand estate, seeming to know its every corner. She looked out from her bedroom window as stars clung to the waning night. The last fragments of a dream darted away like silver fish, replaced by a childhood memory of grey stone walls etched with moss, and a line of windows like a hound baring its teeth. Cassandra was practically a stranger to Chance House, her mother’s childhood home, though she knew well where the long driveway began. She scanned the lacework of trees, trying to locate the dwelling that lay beyond the fields and woods.

It was true the house had been in her thoughts of late. The property had lain empty for months, and had been recently inherited by Mr Kitto, who had left his mines in Northumberland to take up residence there. No doubt she was curious about meeting her cousins.

Looking for Matti by Grace Andreacchi

Read by Sarah Barlex (5th story in podcast, at 1hXXmin, here)

It was Christmas in Berlin. Lise had come alone on the train from London because there was no one who might have come with her. Everywhere in the streets the smell of burning, mingled with the sickly sweet odour of death. Piles of ash appeared solid as mountains but dissolved at the touch of a hand, collapsed in upon themselves, then scattered white wraiths of cloud upon the wind. In place of buildings were towers of broken rubble from which the wreckage of life protruded – a picture of an alpine landscape upon a half-burnt wall, a bathtub, white and glistening, swaying like an exotic fruit upon a stem of twisted lead piping, somebody’s leg still wearing half a pair of military trousers: further down the street, a pair of calcified boots. Lise was in Berlin, looking for Matti. The streets were nearly empty of people, the few she passed like evil ghosts swathed in black rags; thin and shivering, they stared after her with dull eyes.

Tripping the Light Fantastic by Matt Barnard

Read by Stephen Butterton (1st story in podcast, at XXmin, here)

When he got off at St Paul's, the station was deserted apart from a few discarded copies of the Evening Standard that skittered along the platform as the train pulled away. Earlier that night, it would have been packed, suits standing three deep, waiting to squeeze into trains already jammed with bodies. Now the only signs of life were the tiny brown packages that raced from the wall to the edge of the platform then disappeared over the side.

This is what Charlie wanted, for the whole City to be deserted so that he could go about his business undisturbed. It had taken months of planning, and he'd had to wait until exactly the right night, which happened to be a Friday in mid-December, bitterly cold but with almost no wind, which was the most important thing.

Donkey Tom by David McGrath

Read by Jamie Laird (6th story in podcast, at 1hXXmin, here)

While Tom Phelan froze to death out the back of his pub on Christmas Eve, Tom Phelan became not too happy with the story of Tom Phelan, Tom Phelan unable to comprehend just whatinthefuck happened. One minute he’d bought a thriving pub back when small pubs thrived, was proposing to the prettiest girl in Ballybalt on its opening night as Phelan’s, and a minute later, all of a sudden, Tom Phelan was back from honeymooning in Rome and the whole town was sniggering at him and fucking his wife, Tom Phelan sleeping on sheets crusted with the spunk of every man from Dungarven to Carrickbeg.

Christmas Show: HEARTH & HOME, Tue 12 Dec at The Wheatsheaf

 

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE UPSTAIRS AT THE WHEATSHEAF, FITZROVIA, NOT OUR USUAL VENUE OF THE PHOENIX

 

From glowing hearths to snowy bloodbaths, we've a stocking stuffed full of festive fiction for you to enjoy at our final event of the year, HEARTH & HOME, upstairs at the historic Wheatsheaf pub (25 Rathbone Place, just off Tottenham Court Road) at 7.30pm (doors at 6.30) on Tuesday 12th December.

 

Our six specially-written short stories will whisk you to war-torn Berlin, sinister mansion Chance House, and the worst pub in Ireland, and you can meet Welsh witches, secret base-jumpers and an alcoholic reindeer. PLUS there will be our usual epic literary quiz with brilliant books to win, and free mince pies for all!

 

WINNING STORIES for HEARTH & HOME

 

"Aelwyd" by Lianne Warr *NEW AUTHOR* read by David Mildon

 

"Looking for Matti" by Grace Andreacchi *NEW AUTHOR* read by Sarah Barlex

 

"The Visit" by Marta Patiño *NEW AUTHOR* read by Carrie Cohen (MVP Acting 2023)

 

"Red Nose" by Rhys Timson (MVP Writing 2023), read by Zach Harrison

 

"Tripping the Light Fantastic" by Matt Barnard, read by Stephen Butterton

 

"Donkey Tom" by David McGrath, read by Jamie Laird

 

Fancy coming along? The Wheatsheaf is smaller than our usual venue and tickets are STRICTLY LIMITED to 40 so if you want to come, please please do book your budget-friendly £5 tickets ASAP. 

 

SOLD OUT

Tuesday 12th December, 7.30pm, tickets £5 (doors open at 6.30pm)

Upstairs at The Wheatsheaf 
25 Rathbone Place (off Tottenham Court Road)

London, W1T 1JB

 

Nearest tubes: Tottenham Court Road (3 min) then Goodge Street (4 min) then Oxford Circus (6 min)

 

N.B. We DO now accept card payments on the door, but it's well worth booking a ticket in advance to ensure you get a table - just click here. Any questions? See below. 

 

 

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE UPSTAIRS AT THE WHEATSHEAF, FITZROVIA, NOT OUR USUAL VENUE OF THE PHOENIX

 

From glowing hearths to snowy bloodbaths, we've a stocking stuffed full of festive fiction for you to enjoy at our final event of the year, HEARTH & HOME, upstairs at the historic Wheatsheaf pub (25 Rathbone Place, just off Tottenham Court Road) at 7.30pm (doors at 6.30) on Tuesday 12th December.

 

Our six specially-written short stories will whisk you to war-torn Berlin, sinister mansion Chance House, and the worst pub in Ireland, and you can meet Welsh witches, secret base-jumpers and an alcoholic reindeer. PLUS there will be our usual epic literary quiz with brilliant books to win, and free mince pies for all!

 

WINNING STORIES for HEARTH & HOME

 

"Aelwyd" by Lianne Warr *NEW AUTHOR* read by David Mildon

 

"Looking for Matti" by Grace Andreacchi *NEW AUTHOR* read by Sarah Barlex

 

"The Visit" by Marta Patiño *NEW AUTHOR* read by Carrie Cohen (MVP Acting 2023)

 

"Red Nose" by Rhys Timson (MVP Writing 2023), read by Zach Harrison

 

"Tripping the Light Fantastic" by Matt Barnard, read by Stephen Butterton

 

"Donkey Tom" by David McGrath, read by Jamie Laird

 

Fancy coming along? The Wheatsheaf is smaller than our usual venue and tickets are STRICTLY LIMITED to 40 so if you want to come, please please do book your budget-friendly £5 tickets ASAP. 

 

SOLD OUT

Tuesday 12th December, 7.30pm, tickets £5 (doors open at 6.30pm)

Upstairs at The Wheatsheaf 
25 Rathbone Place (off Tottenham Court Road)

London, W1T 1JB

 

Nearest tubes: Tottenham Court Road (3 min) then Goodge Street (4 min) then Oxford Circus (6 min)

 

N.B. We DO now accept card payments on the door, but it's well worth booking a ticket in advance to ensure you get a table - just click here. Any questions? See below. 

 

 

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE UPSTAIRS AT THE WHEATSHEAF, FITZROVIA, NOT OUR USUAL VENUE OF THE PHOENIX

 

From glowing hearths to snowy bloodbaths, we've a stocking stuffed full of festive fiction for you to enjoy at our final event of the year, HEARTH & HOME, upstairs at the historic Wheatsheaf pub (25 Rathbone Place, just off Tottenham Court Road) at 7.30pm (doors at 6.30) on Tuesday 12th December.

 

Our six specially-written short stories will whisk you to war-torn Berlin, sinister mansion Chance House, and the worst pub in Ireland, and you can meet Welsh witches, secret base-jumpers and an alcoholic reindeer. PLUS there will be our usual epic literary quiz with brilliant books to win, and free mince pies for all!

 

WINNING STORIES for HEARTH & HOME

 

"Aelwyd" by Lianne Warr *NEW AUTHOR* read by David Mildon

 

"Looking for Matti" by Grace Andreacchi *NEW AUTHOR* read by Sarah Barlex

 

"The Visit" by Marta Patiño *NEW AUTHOR* read by Carrie Cohen (MVP Acting 2023)

 

"Red Nose" by Rhys Timson (MVP Writing 2023), read by Zach Harrison

 

"Tripping the Light Fantastic" by Matt Barnard, read by Stephen Butterton

 

"Donkey Tom" by David McGrath, read by Jamie Laird

 

Fancy coming along? The Wheatsheaf is smaller than our usual venue and tickets are STRICTLY LIMITED to 40 so if you want to come, please please do book your budget-friendly £5 tickets ASAP. 

 

SOLD OUT

Tuesday 12th December, 7.30pm, tickets £5 (doors open at 6.30pm)

Upstairs at The Wheatsheaf 
25 Rathbone Place (off Tottenham Court Road)

London, W1T 1JB

 

Nearest tubes: Tottenham Court Road (3 min) then Goodge Street (4 min) then Oxford Circus (6 min)

 

N.B. We DO now accept card payments on the door, but it's well worth booking a ticket in advance to ensure you get a table - just click here. Any questions? See below. 

 

SOLD OUT

Tuesday 12th December, 7.30pm, tickets £5 (doors open at 6.30pm)

Upstairs at The Wheatsheaf 
25 Rathbone Place (off Tottenham Court Road)

London, W1T 1JB

 

Nearest tubes: Tottenham Court Road (3 min) then Goodge Street (4 min) then Oxford Circus (6 min)

 

N.B. We DO now accept card payments on the door, but it's well worth booking a ticket in advance to ensure you get a table - just click here. Any questions? See below. 

 

SOLD OUT

Tuesday 12th December, 7.30pm, tickets £5 (doors open at 6.30pm)

Upstairs at The Wheatsheaf 
25 Rathbone Place (off Tottenham Court Road)

London, W1T 1JB

 

Nearest tubes: Tottenham Court Road (3 min) then Goodge Street (4 min) then Oxford Circus (6 min)

 

N.B. We DO now accept card payments on the door, but it's well worth booking a ticket in advance to ensure you get a table - just click here. Any questions? See below. 

 

 

Nearest tubes: Tottenham Court Road (3 min) then Goodge Street (4 min) then Oxford Circus (6 min)

 

N.B. We DO now accept card payments on the door, but it's well worth booking a ticket in advance to ensure you get a table - just click here. Any questions? See below.