Oh, Whistle…
Pickering Book Tree, Pickering, YO18 7AE
Thursday 26th November 2026 7:30PM
Two ghost stories by M R James
Performed by R M Lloyd Parry
Storytelling at its finest… — The Stage
As the nights draw in, join us for a chilling evening of classic ghost stories with Robert Lloyd Parry.
The quietly terrifying tales of M.R. James have become a pre-Christmas tradition, reaching into timeless fears which do not need cinematic effects to unsettle. These are tales written to be told aloud, by candlelight, on long winter evenings.
Robert will perform two perfectly paired stories, taking us back to the Cambridge study of M.R. James whose friends gathered on evenings just like this to hear his haunting tales. At this event, with the electric lights off, we will bridge a time of more than a hundred years to hang on the very same words.
The event will be held in Pickering Book Tree’s atmospheric upstairs events space, surrounded by the building’s old oak beams. Drinks will be available to purchase at a licensed bar.
The bookshop door and bar will be open from 7pm, and the performance will start at 7.30pm.
Oh, Whistle…
Lloyd Parry catches the sense of dread that gives James his originality — The Times
M R James is acknowledged as the master of the English Ghost Story. He first performed his supernatural tales to friends at Christmas in King’s College, Cambridge. Now Nunkie Theatre Company have brought two of these unforgettable spinechillers back to life.
Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad – a tale of nocturnal horror on the Suffolk coast – is considered by many to be James’s masterpiece. It is beautifully complemented here by The Ash Tree, a story of witchcraft and vengeance down the generations.
Robert Lloyd Parry
One of the country’s most idiosyncratic and underrated performers — Times Literary Supplement
Though the stories he tells are based on established, classic texts, he never reads straight from a book. Each performance or livestreamed telling involves careful preparation, editing and rehearsal.
I’ve seen Lloyd Parry twice and he is absolutely, utterly mesmerizing — The Washington Post
Find Out More
Read more about Robert Lloyd Parry, Nunkie Theatre and the M R James project on the Nunkie website
Watch online stories and documentaries from Nunkie on YouTube, or access supporter exclusive content via Patreon
Follow Nunkie on Facebook or listen to a sample of Robert’s performances on Bandcamp
Performed by R M Lloyd Parry
Storytelling at its finest… — The Stage
As the nights draw in, join us for a chilling evening of classic ghost stories with Robert Lloyd Parry.
The quietly terrifying tales of M.R. James have become a pre-Christmas tradition, reaching into timeless fears which do not need cinematic effects to unsettle. These are tales written to be told aloud, by candlelight, on long winter evenings.
Robert will perform two perfectly paired stories, taking us back to the Cambridge study of M.R. James whose friends gathered on evenings just like this to hear his haunting tales. At this event, with the electric lights off, we will bridge a time of more than a hundred years to hang on the very same words.
The event will be held in Pickering Book Tree’s atmospheric upstairs events space, surrounded by the building’s old oak beams. Drinks will be available to purchase at a licensed bar.
The bookshop door and bar will be open from 7pm, and the performance will start at 7.30pm.
Oh, Whistle…
Lloyd Parry catches the sense of dread that gives James his originality — The Times
M R James is acknowledged as the master of the English Ghost Story. He first performed his supernatural tales to friends at Christmas in King’s College, Cambridge. Now Nunkie Theatre Company have brought two of these unforgettable spinechillers back to life.
Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad – a tale of nocturnal horror on the Suffolk coast – is considered by many to be James’s masterpiece. It is beautifully complemented here by The Ash Tree, a story of witchcraft and vengeance down the generations.
Robert Lloyd Parry
One of the country’s most idiosyncratic and underrated performers — Times Literary Supplement
Though the stories he tells are based on established, classic texts, he never reads straight from a book. Each performance or livestreamed telling involves careful preparation, editing and rehearsal.
I’ve seen Lloyd Parry twice and he is absolutely, utterly mesmerizing — The Washington Post
Find Out More
Read more about Robert Lloyd Parry, Nunkie Theatre and the M R James project on the Nunkie website
Watch online stories and documentaries from Nunkie on YouTube, or access supporter exclusive content via Patreon
Follow Nunkie on Facebook or listen to a sample of Robert’s performances on Bandcamp
Event Details
Doors Open at 7:00PM
From 7:30PM to 9:30PM
