Gerald Dickens presents | Sikes and Nancy & The Tale of Captain Murderer

Events List

Thursday 4th September 2025 | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

A LIVE Lit & Phil Event | £15/£12(concession)

SOLD OUT

Thursday 4th September | 6pm

Gerald Dickens presents….

Sikes and Nancy & The Tale of Captain Murderer

Gerald Dickens’ recreation of Sikes and Nancy is Victorian theatre at its most dramatic. Throughout the 1860s Charles Dickens gave a series of readings from his novels and his repertoire, featuring performances that were safe, well-known and often comic. In 1869, however, he introduced Sikes and Nancy to his programme. When Dickens performed what he called ‘The Murder’ he judged the success of the evening by the number of ladies who had fainted with horror. Today it has lost none of its horrific power.

Where did Charles get his love for the macabre? Possibly it was from the lips of his childhood nurse who would regale him with the gruesome story called ‘The Tale of Captain Murderer’. At the age of only 6 years, little Charles delighted in the awful and bloodthirsty tale, and now Lit & Phil favourite, Gerald Dickens, brings the story to life once more.

A LIVE Lit & Phil Event | £15/£12(concession)

(If you would prefer to book directly over the phone, please call the Library Desk team on 0191 232 0192 and they will be happy to help)