Lych Gate Tavern. 1.00pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 12+

Sarah L Dixon has a grand passion for the 90s indie music scene. Here she takes you dancing in the kitchen, making mosh pit friends, meeting musicians in dreams and in life. Bring your stamina and a good pair of trainers. Maybe we could go dancing later... (poetry, anecdotes about 90s indie circles)

Lych Gate Tavern. 2.15pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: Universal

"It's a bish-bosh, wish-wash, car crash mishmash!" 

Ever wondered where the word hoo-ha comes from? Why there ain’t no party like a double negative party?  And why bead doesn’t rhyme with bread, machine doesn’t rhyme with nine, and don’t get me started on yearly and early? From gangs of gung-ho Anglo-Saxons and smelly Vikings to Covidiots and Instagram influencers, from enormous vowel movements to katsu curries self-isolating in the Twitterverse, this one-woman show by poet, spoken word artist, former ‘A’ level English lecturer and all-round linguistics nerd, Melanie Branton, explores the fascinating history of the English language through the media of performance poetry, silly hats and dad jokes.

“Quite brilliant -  Melanie Branton's ability to conjure light from the darkness, comedy among the tragedy, and a magical absurdity out of the everyday."  - Brian Bilston, the Poet Laureate of Twitter

Lych Gate Tavern. 3.30pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 12+

Almost ten years ago to the day* Tom Allsopp found out that he was going to be a father for the first time. In a lot of ways, he has never got over it and he has been forced to express his overwhelming sense of overwhelmed-ness in poetry. This debut show from Hednesford's own poet/playwright and Grey Six Sixer** Tom Allsopp is a poignant, whimsical look at the bewildering journey that is fatherhood. 

*Depending on the day. 

**1st Blackfords Sea Scouts

Lych Gate Tavern. 4.45pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 12+

Weight off my Chest is an autobiographical piece about a 29-year-old woman’s experience of breast reduction surgery. In 2023, Dee undergoes a cosmetic operation that will change her life. In this play, she brings to life her memories of conversations with friends about her excitement and fear and recaptures moments throughout the process and recovery that contributed to her emotional rebirth. She also talks through what brought her to the momentous decision to have surgery and how this has given her the strength to finally come out as a lesbian to her family and build a career in the arts. It’s cathartic, it’s touching, it’s humorous and above all it is honest. A chorus of characters step in and out of Dee’s mind as she takes you on a hospital-trolley-ride journey through the deepest and most personal corridors of her psyche. Post-surgery, she will emerge having got a huge weight off her chest! 

Lych Gate Tavern. 6.00pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 12+

A stand-up comedy show about the everyday absurdities of India, the US and the UK where Prateek has lived and performed. The absurdities get historical, political and sometimes to outright denial when it's least expected. Prateek is an upcoming Indian comic who is quickly making his name in the UK comedy circuit and can regularly be seen performing at top comedy clubs across the country like The Comedy Store, Up the Creek and Komedia. 

BBC New Comedy Award – shortlisted; West End New Act of the Year – runner up; Komedia New Comedy Award - finalist.

"Commentary on racism within his native India is territory much less explored in comedy, which he cleverly manipulated in smart political analogies" - Chortle

Prateek is a new and exciting comedian, definitely one to watch!” - Simon Richards, Comedy Store 

Lych Gate Tavern. 7.15pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: Universal

A funny, touching and self-deprecating account of growing up in 1970s Wolverhampton.

Award winning BBC Radio 4 writer and performer Ian Pearce looks back at his deluded teenage years. Being a trainee butcher at the Co-op is only a temporary situation before he reveals his true artistic talents to the world. No careers officer or personnel manager is going to stop him producing his rock album, publishing his poetry or mounting his first exhibition.

 A world of awkward romantic relationships, Sex Pistols, Crossroads and Angel Delight. An honest and clear-eyed view of his younger self. Yes, he freely admits, I really was that stupid.

"Looking for Wolverhampton’s Latin Quarter is like being hit over the head with a frying pan of nostalgic loveliness" - Radio 4 comedian George Fouracres 

"Full of nostalgia - a very funny one man show." - Canal Cafe London

"Completely engaging and utterly compelling" - Actor and comedian Marc Wootton

"Pearce is a charming raconteur" - the Wee Review. Edinburgh