Charlie is a tireless performer with a commanding stage presence. He has a number of different shows and talks, including his classic all evening, “Eccentric Look at Suffolk”. He has other popular shows that you might wish to book him for:
The Dig!!!
Charlie was personally chosen by the great Ralph Fiennes to be the dialect coach for the wonderful Netflix film The Dig. Charlie has created a fascinating new talk about his experiences preparing Ralph and the cast for their roles and Charlie will reveal the extraordinary lengths Ralph Fiennes took, not only to play Basil Brown, but to become Basil Brown!
History of spoken English
This is not a talk on split infinitives, and what the differences are between the past participle and the past tense. Definitely not! Charlie shows how the seeds of spoken English was first sown, and how each invading force affected the English language with the different sounds they brought. Charlie includes a dialect tour of the British Isles, demonstrating the different facial expressions of each dialect. He also shows how some people he knows that lip read can tell what dialect a person has.
History of English Surnames
Charlie will talk about the Anglo-Saxon and Viking bynames and nicknames we had prior to the Norman Conquest. He will explain how and why surnames evolved after 1066 AD, and the disruption it caused. Charlie then enlightens the audience on the four different types of surnames which includes explaining the meanings of some of the surnames sitting in the audience.
This will be followed by Q&A
2024 - 2025 Bookings
Key
TD - Charlie and "The Dig"
HOSE - History of Spoken English
HOSE-2 - History of Spoken English - Part 2
HOS – History of Surnames
ELS – Eccentric Look at Suffolk
ELEA – Eccentric Look at East Anglia
ELC – Eccentric Look at the Countryside
OTP – Open to the Public
PF – Private Function
2024 - 2025
2024
February
Mon 5th Feb - Colchester Archaeological Group - HOSE - PF
Thurs 8th Feb - Bildeston Ladies - TD - OTP
Fri 9th Feb - Beacon Wine Circle - ELC - PF
Sat 10th Feb - All Saints - Bury St Edmunds - ELEA - OTP
Mon 12th Feb - W Suffolk NHS Retirement Fellowship - HOSE - PF
Thurs 15th Feb - Isleham Society - HOSE - OTP
Fri 16th Feb - Risby Church - HOS - OTP
Fri 23rd Feb - Everyman Folk Club
Thurs 29th Feb - University of Suffolk - HOSE - PF
March
Fri 1st Mar - Corn Hall Theatre - Diss - HOSE - OTP
Sat 2nd Mar - East Harling Church - TD - OTP
Mon 4th Mar - Great Notley W.I. - TD - PF
Sat 9th Mar - 13th Ipswich Sea Scouts - HOSE - PF
Wed 20th Mar - Blackwater Probus - HOS - PF
Sat 23rd Mar - Brettenham Church - TD - OTP
Fri 29th Mar - Everyman Folk Club
Sat 30th Mar - Wivenhoe W.I - TD - PF
April
Tues 2nd April - Horringer W.I. - HOSE - PF
Wed 10th April - Coggeshall Society - ELC - PF
Tues 16th April - Ipswich Oddfellows - TD - PF morning
Wed 17th April - Suffolk Book League - HOSE - PF
Thurs 18th April - Scole W.I. - HOS - PF
Sat 20th April - Boxford Society - TD - OTP
Fri 28th April - Everyman Folk Club
May
Tues 7th May - Leigh Estuary U3A - HOSE - PF
Thurs 9th May - East Suffolk U3A (Saxmundham) - HOSE - PF
Sat 11th May - Aldeburgh YC - TD - PF
Sat 18th May - Brent Eleigh - TBA - OTP
Tues 21st May - Bentley Tuesday Club - TD - PF
Wed 22nd May - Havering Probus - HOSE - PF
Fri 31st May - Everyman Folk Club
June
Sat 1st June - Royal Norfolk & Suffolk YC - HOS - PF
Tues 4th June - GAS - TD - PF
Thurs 6th June - Hardwick Hall - ADT - PF
Tues 11th June- Waltham Abbey U3A - HOS - PF
Thurs 13th June - Great Bentley Hist. Soc. - TD - PF
Wed 19th June - Harleston and Dist. U3A - TD - PF
Fri 21st June - The Corn Hall, Diss - TD - OTP
Sat 22nd June - St Albans Day Talk - Shotley - PF
Fri 28th June - VIVO - Holbrook Village Hall - OTP
July
Tues 16th July - St Neot's U3A - HOSE - PF
Wed 24th July - Suffolk Building Society - Social Event - TD - PF
Wed 31st July - Autumn Leaves, Tiptree - TD - PF
August
Tues 27th Aug - Watford Park U3A - TD - PF
Wed 28th Aug - Chorleywood U3A - TD - PF
September
Fri 13th Sept - Edwardstone St Mary's - HOSE - OTP
Mon 16th Sept - StNicholas Church, Elm Park - HOSE - PF
Wed 18th Sept - Benfleet Castle Point Probus - HOSE - PF
Thurs 19th Sept - Essex & Suffolk Farm Women's Club - TD - PF
Thurs 26th Sept - Sawbridgeworth U3A - HOSE - PF
Sat 28th Sept - Rede Church - ELS - OTP
Mon 30th Sept - Kesgrave U3A - TD - PF
October
Mon 21st Oct - Trafalgar Day Talk - Christchurch - PF
November
Tues 5th Nov - Frinton Men's Probus Club - TBA - PF
Wed 6th Nov - Boxmoor & Dist. Probus - HOSE - PF
Thurs 7th Nov - Wymondham U3A - TBA - PF
Tues 12th Nov - Foxearth History Society - HOS - OTP
Wed 13th Nov - East Norfolk 6th Form College - HOSE - PF
Wed 20th Nov - Melbourn U3A - HOSE - PF
Tues 26th Nov - Fressingfield LHAG - HOSE - OTP
Fri 29th Nov - Stowmarket Christmas Lights
December
Fri 13th Dec - Old Hall Cafe - Reydon - ELS - OTP
2025
January
Thurs 2nd Jan - Diss U3A - HOS - PF
Wed 15th Jan - Wrabness Stour Ladies - HOSE - PF
Mon 20th Jan - Colchester Vintage Car Club - HOS - PF
February
Sat 1st Feb - Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall - ELS - OTP
March
Thur 13th Mar - Lowestoft ALHS - TD - PF
April
Fri 4th April - Brightlingsea U3A - HOS - PF
Tues 15th April - Norfolk Austin Car Club - TD - PF
Thurs 24th April - Thetford U3A - HOSE - PF
Sat 26th April - Harleston Masonic Hall - ALT - PF
May
Mon 12th May - Buntingford U3A - HOSE Pt2 - PF
Wed 14th May - Ware U3A - HOSE Pt2 - PF
Tues 20th May - Bury U3A - HOSE Pt2 - PF
Key
TD - Charlie and "The Dig"
HOSE - History of Spoken English
HOSE-2 - History of Spoken English - Part 2
HOS – History of Surnames
ELS – Eccentric Look at Suffolk
ELEA – Eccentric Look at East Anglia
ELC – Eccentric Look at the Countryside
OTP – Open to the Public