GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT Will Embark on Tour

Following the successes of HighTide Rising in May and Herring Girls: greater than we are alone at Lowestoft's First Light Festival in June, HighTide today announces Ghost Stories by Candlelight, commissioned as the first tour under new Artistic Director Clare Slater. 

Opening at Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds on 13 October, Ghost Stories by Candlelight will tour the East of England through Autumn before a short run at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse from 23-25 November. These chilling tales, accompanied by haunting folk music, present a modern twist on the genre from East Anglia, the home of the ghost story. Written by Kelly Jones, Shamser Sinha and Nicola Werenowska, directed by Elayce Ismail and with music and songs composed by Georgia Shackleton.

Clare Slater, HighTide Artistic Director of HighTide said today, “I am delighted to have commissioned four of the best storytellers in East Anglia to share an evening of fiercely contemporary ghost stories. Through music, song and story, Ghost Stories by Candlelight celebrates the people, landscape and fragile natural world of our region. We can't wait to tour it far and wide across the East of England and then transfer it to the stunning Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London during their 10 year anniversary season.”

Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe, Michelle Terry said today, “I am so delighted to partner with the genius HighTide. Ghost Stories by Candlelight finds the perfect home in our Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. I know audiences will delight in discovering new writing talent from East Anglia – with contemporary ghost stories mixed alongside haunting folk music – it's certain to be a captivating wintry must-see!”

The tour opens on the auspicious date of Friday 13 October at the region's most atmospheric venue, the Theatre Royal Bury in St Edmunds. Artistic Director, Owen Calvert Lyons said today, “Working with our friends at HighTide, we have created a ghostly, autumnal experience, bringing chilling tales and music to a contemporary audience.  Great actors telling spine-chilling ghost stories, under flickering candlelight, whilst immersed in the haunting strings of East Anglian folk music; this production celebrates the best of this unique region.”

HighTide has worked with hand-picked writers from the region to create an evening of tales which will unsettle and unnerve. Essex playwright Kelly Jones said today, “Ghost stories are one of the most accessible forms of storytelling. I have absolutely loved playing with the genre to create something contemporary that's sole purpose is to scare.”

Often writing with a diverse and political edge, Ipswich-based playwright Shamser Sinha said today, “As a writer with an Indian heritage, it's hard to get the chance to write a rural story because that's not what the industry wants from me.  But I'm getting to do it now!”

A HighTide production, in association with Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Harlow Playhouse and Shakespeare's Globe.

Gather close for a candlelit evening of chilling, contemporary tales, and haunting new folk music from the 'Witch Counties' of East Anglia. What happens when the ghosts of the past creep up on us today?

Kelly Jones's theatre credits include When You See Me (Scottee and Friends), BUMP (New Wolsey Theatre), Room to Escape (BBC Arts), Comma (Sherman Theatre), Garden Paradiso (Mercury Theatre), The People's Platform (Common Wealth Theatre).

Shamser Sinha's theatre credits include Our White Skoda Octavia (Eastern Angles, Derby Theatre and UK tour), Three Sat Under the Bunyan Tree (Polka Theatre, Tara Theatre and UK tour), Khadija is 18 (Finborough Theatre), The Dissidents (Kiln Theatre young company).

Nicola Werenowska's theatre credits include The Secret Garden (Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds), The Paradis Files (Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, UK tour), Silence and Hidden (Mercury Theatre Colchester, tour), Guesthouse (Sir John Mills Theatre, Ipswich, East of England tour), Tu I Teraz (Hampstead Theatre, tour).

Georgia Shackleton is a folk singer and musician best known for working with traditional material from East Anglia. Her self-penned songs and traditional re-workings achieving national radio play on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4, BBC 6 music and a BBC 3 live session. 

Elayce Ismail has previously worked with HighTide directing Girls (Aldeburgh Festival, Soho Theatre, UK tour). Her theatre credits include Calvino Nights (Minack Theatre), Love and Other Acts of Violence (Donmar Warehouse), Shedding a Skin (Soho Theatre), Nanjing (Shakespeare's Globe), Under Milk Wood, The War of the Worlds (Northern Stage), Stay Another Song (Young Vic). Her opera credits include 4:48 Psychosis I (Paris Philharmonic), Our Dark Side and The Moon (Royal Opera House), They Whisper Don't Gaze at the Stars… (English National Opera) and for film, Nanjing, AMAZON, and Simone. 

Tour Dates

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Friday 13 October

Box office: 01284 769505 / https://theatreroyal.org/ 

Mercury Theatre, Colchester

Wednesday 18 October

Box office: 01206 573948 / https://mercurytheatre.co.uk/

Two Sisters Arts Centre, Felixstowe

Friday 20 October

Box office: 01394 279613 / http://twosistersarts.co.uk/ 

The Pumphouse, Aldeburgh

Saturday 21 October

Tickets available through HighTide / https://hightide.org.uk/

The Seagull, Lowestoft

Tuesday 24 October

Box office: 01502 289726 / https://theseagull.co.uk/ 

Cambridge Junction

Thursday 26 October

Box office: 01223 511511 / https://www.junction.co.uk/ 

 King's Lynn Corn Exchange 

Thursday 2 November

Box office: 01553 764864 / https://kingslynncornexchange.co.uk/ 

Sheringham Little Theatre

Saturday 4 November

Box office: 01263 822347 / https://sheringhamlittletheatre.com/ 

Wingfield Barns, Suffolk

Wednesday 8 November

Tickets available through HighTide / https://hightide.org.uk/

Wells Maltings, Norfolk

Thursday 9 November

Box office: 01328 710885 / https://www.wellsmaltings.org.uk/ 

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe

Thursday 23 – Sunday 25 November

Box office: 020 7401 9919 / https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/ 

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