Isle of Wight-born violinist and harp player Charlie Wild brings her debut multimedia show to this year’s Ventnor Fringe Festival.
The show, called The Railwayman and Other Stories, weaves together music, memory and vintage film footage from the Island’s railway.
Audiences can catch it at Ventnor Arts Club on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July 2026, with both performances starting at 1.45pm.
A rising star of the folk scene
Charlie has built a reputation as one of the UK’s most distinctive violin and folk fiddle players.
Her striking sound and original compositions earned her a place as a finalist in the BBC Young Folk Awards.
For this new show, she turns to her own family history for inspiration.
Her father’s stories take centre stage
Charlie’s father worked as a railwayman on the Isle of Wight Railway during the 1970s and 1980s.
She retells his true tales and memories through music, set against a backdrop of genuine 1970’s film footage from the railway.
The combination promises to transport audiences back to that era, blending nostalgia with live performance.
An unusual instrumental pairin
Charlie performs on lever harp alongside a reinvented version of the historical viola d’amore.
She uses these instruments to link each story with original music, drawing out the hidden connections between journeys, memory and the people who make them.
The result is an afternoon that mixes new music with old stories, nostalgia and humour in equal measure.
Book your tickets
Anyone keen to experience this homegrown story of Island life, set to the sound of harp and violin, can book ahead of the two Ventnor Fringe dates.
The Railwayman and Other Stories takes place at Ventnor Arts Club, 13 High Street, Ventnor for both performances.
General admission costs £14, with tickets for under-25s priced at £11.50.
Culture Pass holders can take advantage of £10 tickets.
Tickets can be purchased via the Ventnor Fringe online Box Office, by calling (01983) 71 67 67 or by popping into Ventnor Exchange, 11 Church Street, Ventnor PO38 1SW.
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