I have always held the old-fashioned opinion that the primary object of a work of fiction should be to tell a story. (Wilkie Collins)
The Border Readers is an association of regionally based professional actors who present themed audio narratives in libraries, art centres, galleries, hostelries, village halls and pubs across Northumberland and beyond. The readers toured Haunted, classic and contemporary ghost story readings around Halloween in 2018, 2019 and 2022 and recorded more classic ghost stories for listening on You Tube during the Covid crisis. They returned to live touring in Spring 2022 with Many Deadly Returns, fictional crime stories celebrating 21 years of Murder Squad, the north of England’s leading association of crime writers. The latest tour of Murder They Write – more crime stories by Ann Cleeves, Martin Edwards & Cath Staincliffe – played in 14 venues across the north of England & Dumfries through October and November 2023.
From Co. Durham to Dumfries, Staveley-in-Kendal to Wooler our growing band of regular bookers across the borderlands want us back year on year but we are always open to including new venues in our autumn tours. If you are involved with programming events at your village hall, arts centre, hostelry, art gallery, church or other community venue please do get in touch with Stephen to discuss the possibility and we’ll take it from there!
Autumn 2024 Tour
We are thrilled to be back touring this October & November with Land Lines, five short stories with rural settings by contemporary writers. Established literary names Deborah Moggach, Tim Pears, Helen Dunmore and Adam Thorpe are joined by Northumberland based writer Jo Scott. We’re thrilled to have assembled such a fabulous line up of brilliant authors and each of these powerful narratives have lots to say in entertaining and relevant ways about life in today’s countryside.
In Blue by Tim Pears a dying farmer looking back over his life and times sees everything in a new light. In Deborah Moggach’s How I Learnt to be a Real Countrywoman London incomer Ruthie’s hilarious conservation campaign lights up her life and libido. In the Author’s Footsteps by Adam Thorpe sees David’s determined ramble with an outdated guidebook bring mayhem to Milton Keynes.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 heart of rural Northumberland on midsummer eve where a swim in a moorland lough brings two young villagers together in unexpectedly dramatic ways.
WRITERS
Helen Dunmore, who died of cancer in 2017 aged 64, was widely recognised as one of the most acclaimed and talented writers of her generation. In their obituary, The Guardian described her as a ‘poet and novelist with a flair for reinvention and making history human’. The author of novels, short stories, numerous books for young adults and children and poetry, Dunmore first made her name with her 1988 poetry collection The Raw Garden. As a novelist, her works include: Darkness in Zennor, A Spell of Winter, The Siege, The Betrayal, Exposure and her last novel Birdcage Walk. Her other works include the Ingo Chronicles fantasy series for children and poetry collections The Malarkey and Inside the Wave which won the 2017 Costa Book of the Year award. Girl, Balancing and Other Stories, which includes our story Protection, was published in 2018. Helen wrote: ‘In the late 1980s I began to publish short stories, and these were the beginning of a breakthrough into fiction. What I had learned of prose technique through the short story gave me the impetus to start writing novels.’
Deborah Moggach (b.1948) is the author of some twenty successful novels including the best selling Tulip Fever and The Carer. In 2011 her novel These Foolish Things was adapted for the screen as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starring Judy Dench, Bill Nighy and Maggie Smith. An award winning screenwriter, Deborah won a writers’ guild award for her adaptation of Anne Fine’s Google-Eyes and her screenplay for the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice was nominated for a BAFTA. Her TV screen writers credits include the acclaimed adaptations of her own novels Close Relations and Final Demand, as well as The Diary of Anne Frank and Nancy Mitford’s Love in a Cold Climate. A fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, she was made an OBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List. How I Learnt to be a Real Countrywoman first appeared in The Times, was broadcast on Radio 4 and re-published in a 2022 selection of the author’s short stories, Fool for Love. Deborah has stated “All I want is for people, when they read my books, to feel companioned, to feel they’re not alone in the world.”
Tim Pears is the author of 10 novels. Born in 1956 he grew up in Devon and left school at sixteen. Tim worked in a wide variety of unskilled jobs: trainee welder, assistant librarian, trainee reporter, archaeological worker, fruit picker, nursing assistant in a psychiatric ward, groundsman in a caravan park, fencer, driver, sorter of mail, builder, painter & decorator, night porter, community video maker and art gallery manager in Devon, Wales, France, Norfolk and Oxford. Always he was writing, and in time making short films. He took the Directing course at the National Film and Television School, graduating in the same month that his first novel, In the Place of Fallen Leaves, was published, in 1993. In a Land of Plenty was made into a ten-part drama series for the BBC, broadcast in 2001. Tim Pears has taught creative writing for the Arvon Foundation, Oxford University, and Ruskin College, among others. In 2013 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Our story, Blue, is from Tim’s 2021 collection Chemistry and Other Stories.
Adam Thorpe is a poet, novelist, translator and critic. His first novel, Ulverton (1992), a panoramic portrait of English rural history, received great critical acclaim, while his four collections of poetry have won numerous prizes. Born in Paris in 1956 he grew up in India, Cameroon and England. After graduating from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1979, Adam started a theatre company touring villages and schools before moving to London where he taught Drama and English Literature. He has since written five plays for BBC Radio as well as a stage play, Couch Grass and Ribbon. His books include a poetry collection, Birds with a Broken Wing (2007) and the novels The Standing Pool (2008), Hodd (2009) Flight (2012) and Missing Fay (2017) plus a further collection of poetry, Voluntary (2012). Adam Thorpe lives in France with his wife and three children. In The Author’s Footsteps is from Adam’s collection of short stories, Is This The Way You Said? (2006).
Jo Scott – Author image and biography coming shortly….
CORE READERS
Janine Birkett Born in Northumberland and raised in Newcastle, Janine spent her early career touring with Northumberland Theatre Company before joining the Northern Stage Ensemble and performing at Theatre by the Lake; the New Vic Stoke and the Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough. In the 1990’s Janine was Byker Grove parent, Maggie Watson for three series; and she played Jenny Elliot, Billy’s mam, in the feature film of Billy Elliot. Other TV appearances include: Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Holby City, The Royal, Inspector George Gently, Vera and Coronation Street. BBC Radio drama includes the series My Uncle Freddie and the Jarrow March play, A Woman’s Walk. In the last four years Janine has narrated over 100 audio-books, including several by Vera author, Ann Cleeves.
Grace Kirby is an actor, director and teacher who started her career after graduating with a drama degree from Newcastle Polytechnic with Tyneside community theatre company Dodgy Clutch. Stage credits include Communicado’s award-winning Carmen: The Play and performing alongside Stanley Baxter in one of his legendary Edinburgh pantos. She performed with Hexham based Theatre sans Frontiers on their first English language play Diamonds in your Pockets by Linda France. After a short spell training at RADA, recent work includes an adaptation of Quentin Blake’s The Green Ship for Librarian Theatre and an adaptation of Nicholas Allan’s The Queen Knickers which toured to school playing fields in Cumbria. Grace is currently developing a solo show about rural isolation, Martha’s Orange inspired by her part-time work as an NHS delivery driver, written for and funded by Open Spaces at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick.
Wynne Potts Born and bred in Northumberland Wynne read English Literature at Cambridge, before studying musical theatre at the Royal Central and acting at Rose Bruford. TV credits include roles in Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories (BBC) and Julian Fellowes Belgravia (ITV). Roleplay work includes sessions for Interact, reading to recovering stroke patients in hospital. Theatre credits range from multirole actor/musician roles in childrens’ musical This Show Is Rubbish at Alphabetti Newcastle to Helene & Nanny in Elysium Theatre’s north-east tour of Ibsen’s A Dolls House. Other live work includes Christmas storytelling for Weardale Heritage Railway and the Live History Company on Teesside. Wynne’s first feature film role was in a US funded production, Chelsea and Charles, shot in Co. Durham last summer.
Stephen Tomlin Since qualifying as a specialist teacher from the Central School of Speech & Drama in 1972 until his effective retirement from full time work at the end of 2016 Stephen had worked extensively as a performer across the UK in a wide variety and number of television, theatre and radio productions. Audio credits include commercial voiceovers and guest roles in Radio 4’s The Archers, Writing the Century and Home Front alongside many single dramas and serials. He has also worked professionally as a producer, director, writer/researcher, role player, teacher, lecturer, presenter and tour guide. Based in Lancaster for four decades, he produced ten indoor promenade Shakespeare as well as annual seasonal entertainments at Lancaster Castle under the demi-paradise banner between 2000-2016. Since 2017 Stephen has been happily resettled in the Northumberland National Park where he founded and produces for the Border Readers.
GUEST READERS
Roberta Kerr Recent theatre includes The Lovesong of Alfred J Hitchcock adapted for the stage by David Rudkin from his radio play for New Perspectives UK tour and Brits Off Broadway New York and Three Mothers by Matilda Velevitch, about the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers. She has toured with the National Theatre’s UK and Ireland production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and has played in classics Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Quartet, The Lady-killers, Hard Times, Talking Heads, Stevie and Norman Conquests in repertory theatres around the North West. TV includes: Downton Abbey, Silk, Hollyoaks, The Royal, Doctors, EastEnders, Casualty, Emmerdale, Medics, Families and Brookside. Film: One Last Walk, Nature of the Beast and Brick is Beautiful. Radio: Cottonopolis, Well of Loneliness and The Archers. Roberta has recently been seen reprising her role as Wendy Crozier on Coronation Street.
Helen Longworth Helen is an Actor/Musician and Composer who trained at RADA. Theatre includes, Unruly Women, The Last Waltz and The Wife of Usher’s Well (Quondam Theatre). Also Sirens at the Women of The World Festival Hull (Blazon Theatre). Helen has also appeared in Aladdin, Peter Pan, Cinderella: A Fairy Tale, Sleeping Beauty and Grimm Tales for The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster. She also performed on the QM2 in Much Ado about Nothing and Canterbury Tales. Helen composed the music for and appeared in Ladies That Bus, based on real life stories from users of the 555 bus, touring to great success. A second play, Ladies That Dig, toured early in 2023. Helen currently plays the character of Hannah Riley in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers. Helen previously worked with Demi Paradise Productions at Lancaster Castle in the site specific Richard III and having both compiled and appeared in the company’s annual Christmas show Deck The Hall on numerous happy occasions.
Sue McCormick Sue is based in Moniaive, Dumfries and Galloway. She has worked in theatres nationwide, including Royal Exchange, Library, Lowry, Palace and Opera House in Manchester,West Yorkshire Playhouse, Oldham Coliseum, Theatre by the Lake Keswick, New Vic Stoke, Dukes Lancaster as well as touring extensively with Northern Broadsides and Hull Truck. Television includes Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Holby City, Casualty and Where the Heart Is and she has recorded several plays for BBC Radio 4. She also works as a theatre director and writer. Sue’s long association with Demi-paradise saw her both directing & performing in the company’s many productions at Lancaster Castle.
PREVIOUS BORDER READER PRODUCTIONS & TOURS
Artistic Licence. A pilot project of classic and contemporary short stories about art and artists from Heidi Amsinck, Anton Chekov, Judy Darley and Saki (HH Monro) read by Stephen Tomlin and Sarah Kemp, presented at The Vault Hexham, April 2023.
We toured 10 venues, from Alnwick Playhouse to Lancaster Castle, during March and April 2022, presenting five contemporary short stories by leading northern based crime writers Ann Cleeves, Martin Edwards, Kate Ellis, Margaret Murphy and Cath Staincliffe, collectively known as ‘Murder Squad’.
We are always open to play new venues and also welcome private bookings to suit particular requirements. Contact Stephen by e.mail in the first instance.
ART OF THE NORTH An audio book collaboration with TWDA Creative Services. (https://twda.co.uk/)
We’ve recorded ten classic ghost and horror stories by some of the greatest writers in the genre. They are The Phantom Coach by Amelia B Edwards, The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, The Judge’s House by Bram Stoker, The Tractate Middoth and A View from a Hill by M R James, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Black Cat by Edgar Alan Poe, Man Size in Marble and The Violet Car by Edith Nesbit & The Magic Shop by H G Wells. Listen, for free, to any of these wonderfully atmospheric narratives here: https://www.youtube.com/@gonzo
I do not believe in ghosts, but I am afraid of them. (Edith Wharton)
STEPHEN TOMLIN 