The Tolmen Centre is at the heart of village life in Constantine, Cornwall. Many residents and friends enjoy events here; a wide and loyal audience has developed for the varied arts programme including music, theatre and cinema, and the Centre has built up an excellent reputation in the Cornish arts community. Miracle, Cube, Cscape, and Pipeline theatre companies are regular visitors both to perform and to develop new work.
The Café Tolmen is often open for meals when there’s an event at the Centre. Please call us on 01326 340630 to pre-book your meal from 6pm.
The Tolmen Centre is a not-for-profit organisation entirely run by volunteer help – no-one gets paid for their time. This creates a rather special ethos around the place – and allows us to be ambitious in what we promote and undertake.
If you would be interested in volunteering in any capacity, please get in touch with member of our team. Volunteers receive free tickets to events at which they help.
Loading…Music
Saturday October 19th
7:30 pm
Namvula
CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
Weaving together a global soundscape that takes inspiration from the deep grooves of Africa, the lyrical sensibility of folk-pop, and the improvisational freedom of jazz, Namvula transports listeners into different worlds with refreshing honesty, crossing boundaries with sonic sensitivity and evocative lyricism. A singer and songwriter whose artistic journey is an exploration of cultural intersections and heartfelt storytelling, her music reflects the nuances and complexities of her mixed Zambian and Scottish heritage, and a restlessness born of her diasporic upbringing.
At the core, Namvula is a storyteller with an over-arching hope in our capacity as humans to touch each other’s hearts and to fill the world with a little more grace, and a little more love.
Join us for a beautiful, intimate evening of song, word, soul, heart and human humanness at its most essential.
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £15/£12/£7.50
Film
Wednesday October 30th
7:30 pm
Lo Capitano
Two Senegalese teenagers embark on a journey from West Africa to Italy. However, between their dreams and reality lies a labyrinth of checkpoints, the Sahara Desert, and the vast waters of the Mediterranean.
Venue Opens: 18:00
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £5 on the door
Music
Saturday November 9th
7:30 pm
Budapest Café Orchestra
Back Again!
Legendary jazz violinist Christian Garrick returns with his four piece cafe orchestra to bring us an evening of dazzling virtuosity in a repertoire of Eastern European and gypsy jazz tunes, leavened with wit and showmanship of the first order. This will be the band’s fifth appearance at the Tolmen, and we expect another full house.
Advance booking required for cafe meals, via Barbara on 01326 340630.
Venue Opens: 18:00
Event Starts: 19:30
Ticket price £17
Film
Wednesday November 13th
7:30 pm
Poor Things
Poor Things
Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her time.
Venue Opens: 18:00
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £5 on the door
Talks
Friday November 15th
7:30 pm
CONSTANTINE BOOK CLUB PLUS WITH SARAH WINMAN
Don’t miss out on what promises to be an amazing evening with one of our favourite authors.
Sarah Winman prize winning author of Still Life will be in conversation and discussing her novels and writing career.
Wine cheese and biscuits from 6.30pm Talk from 7.30pm followed by Q and A
Tickets £7
Theatre
Saturday November 23rd
7:30 pm
NAN, ME AND BARBARA PRAVI
A welcome return fo the amazingly talented Hannah Maxwell following her affectionate and witty exploration of Amdram last year. Check our website for full details and tickets
In association with Carn to Cove
“I wish I could say here our story starts. But this story starts later, and ended earlier. Is entirely fictional, and completely true. Voila.”
In 2021, Hannah Maxwell moved back to the Home Counties to care for her terminally ill grandfather. But this show isn’t about that. It’s about France’s Eurovision star Barbara Pravi, who’s just lovely.
In between cooking, cleaning and Countdown, Maxwell escapes into an intensifying fantasy of ballroom dances, heartfelt ballads, Parisian cafés, fluent French and definitely-not-creepy plots to engineer a meetcute with a random foreign celebrity. It’s La La Land meets Mission Impossible meets Hannah’s nan.
Combining spoken-word, video and chanson francaise, NAN, ME & BARBARA PRAVI sits you down at the kitchen table to talk through grief and care, addiction and recovery, and hope and coping in unprecedented times.
WINNER OF THE SUMMERHALL LUSTRUM AWARD
NOMINATED FOR THE BBC POPCORN AWARD FOR NEW WRITING
Cafe suppers from Barbara’s Cafe pre show – book by phone on 01326 340630
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £12
Film
Wednesday November 27th
7:30 pm
Monkey Man
Kid is an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him. ×
Venue Opens: 18:00
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £5 on the door
Music
Saturday November 30th
7:30 pm
DETTA KENZIE
with guitarist accompaniment
Detta Kenzie is an English folk singer creating original songs alongside reworking
traditional music. With both Irish and Scottish heritage, Detta is committed to collecting,
restoring and sharing songs passed down in the oral tradition.
In her original work, a deep connection to the natural world is ever present. Inspired by
place names, specific references to locations in Britain, Ireland and Australia bring a
strength to Detta’s creations. Themes of womanhood, grief, rebellion and rage can be
found in her deeply narrative based songs.
Having worked as a Secondary English Teacher before transitioning into music, Detta’s
love of language shines through in her storytelling. Her words capture the diversity of
the landscape and its ability to both mould and reflect human experience.
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £14/£12/£7
Theatre
Thursday December 12th
7:30 pm
THE CRATCHITS’ CHRISTMAS CRACKER
Welcome one and all to The Cratchits’ Christmas Cracker!
The Cratchit family is having a party and you’re all invited. Join Mrs Cratchit, cousin Edith and Uncle Hugo as they celebrate Christmas with a marvellous mix of festive songs, stories and parlour games.
The Cratchits’ Christmas Cracker! is a festive feast of seasonal silliness, a merry mixture of Yuletide foolery, created and performed by Mary Woodvine, Craig Johnson and Jenny Beare, who between them have decades of theatrical experience with Kneehigh, Wildworks, the Minack, o-region, the RSC, the National Theatre and countless village halls.
For adults and children 10+
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £15/Children(over 10) of £10
Theatre
Friday December 13th
7:30 pm
THE CRATCHITS’ CHRISTMAS CRACKER
Welcome one and all to The Cratchits’ Christmas Cracker!
The Cratchit family is having a party and you’re all invited. Join Mrs Cratchit, cousin Edith and Uncle Hugo as they celebrate Christmas with a marvellous mix of festive songs, stories and parlour games.
The Cratchits’ Christmas Cracker! is a festive feast of seasonal silliness, a merry mixture of Yuletide foolery, created and performed by Mary Woodvine, Craig Johnson and Jenny Beare, who between them have decades of theatrical experience with Kneehigh, Wildworks, the Minack, o-region, the RSC, the National Theatre and countless village halls.
For adults and children 10+
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £15/Children(over 10) of £10
Music
Saturday February 1st
7:30 pm
Fif la Mer and Oliver Wilby “Let Us Take You to Paris”
“Shut your eyes and you will be transported to Paris where you will hear a selection of French music including works from Edith Piaf, Charles Trennet, Django Reinhardt and Serge Gainsbourg. Along the way you will hear tales of life in Paris throughout the golden era of French music. You will listen to a slice of the French repertoire spanning a century; a performance of their unique arrangements..
Brace yourself for an exiting and charismatic performance”
Fifi and Oliver have been touring the country with their unique show. You may have seen them with their quintet “Oh la la” at their sell-out Ronnie Scott’s show, Theatres and Arts centres across the country. Oliver regularly performs with the Pasadena roof orchestra, Syd Lawrence Orchestra Ray Gelato, and the BBC big band.
They are appearing in the new NatWest advertising campaign.
“Really loved it – very well performed. Also very interesting in the way it illuminated the historical background to the songs.”
“Great musicians and an authentic touch of French music by two accomplished performers. So relaxing and easy to listen to. Wonderful and thank you.”
“A thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment by a very engaging and talented duo.”
“It was excellent, a great atmosphere, a great performance.”
“Entertaining, different, with talented and impressive performers who held the audience’s attention for the duration on the show.”
“Excellent – light hearted entertainment from talented and characterful musicians”
Website www.ohlalamusic.co.uk
Les champs Elysée https://youtu.be/naPrFMk6oaA?si=bl8pYHELl2XAnEIE
Domino https://youtu.be/wAGLgKBhE74?si=cldk0GzuTbSh7eNs
Bei mir bistu shein https://youtu.be/gKdGTIvUUIw?si=wAof0gAgo1ue89xI
Cafe reservations must be booked in advance via Barbara on 01326 340630
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £14/£12
£6 (children)
Theatre
Saturday March 1st
7:30 pm
LUKE WIGHT PRESENTS JOY
LUKE WIGHT
Poet
Following the smash hit success of his Silver Jubilee show (“the best thing he’s done and that’s saying something.” ★★★★★Telegraph) Luke Wright returns with a new set poems that get to grips with the idea of JOY. Is it possible, as a 42 year old to feel pure unbridled happiness, and what does it look like?
The French novelist Henry de Montherlant said that “happiness writes white” but Wright’s not exactly starting with a blank page. With a mix of the of the comic and the wistful, JOY takes in consumerism, boozing, cancer scares, abseiling vicars, and the joy of language itself. We might have to go down to come up, but we’ll get there in the end. Come let a little joy into your life with a raconteur and wordsmith at the top of his game.
“Breathtaking … with a sharpness and wisdom that lifts the soul, and soothes the battered heart.” ★★★★ The Scotsman
“A winning combination of honesty, humour, ire and wonder. He is at the peak of his powers.” ★★★★★ The Stage
“Britain’s finest performance poet.” ★★★★★ Life As Theatre
Supported by Colchester Arts Centre
Venue Opens: 18:00
Event Starts: 19:30
Ticket price £15/£12
Music
Saturday March 15th
7:30 pm
ED BLUNT
with support to be confirmed
Ed Blunt is a multi-instrumentalist storyteller whose songs will make you laugh and gently break your heart. Blending folk, jazz and roots with Randy Newman-esque humour, his lyrics hold a mirror to 21st-century life—from swiping right for love to dreaming on the 7:38 to Victoria. Ed will play guitar and be accompanied by pianist Rob Brockway.
Pre-show cafe meals must be booked in advance via Barbara on 01326 340630.
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £15/12(discount)
Children £7.50
Talks
Friday March 21st
7:30 pm
Hollie McNish / Lobster: The Paperback Tour
“Funny, so smart and refreshingly honest” – Sarah Millican
“Makes me cry and howl with laughter” – Paapa Essiedu
Hollie McNish is a poet whose live readings are not to be missed. After a run of sold out shows up and down the UK, she is back with the paperback tour of Lobster and other things I’m learning to love. A Sunday Times bestselling book, expect strong language and adult content, gift-wrapped in gorgeously crafted poetry as she reads from this collection plus a selection of firm favourites from Slug and Nobody Told Me.
Adult content warning 14+ / Book signing after the gig. Support poet to be announced.
About the Author
Hollie McNish is a poet and author based between Glasgow and Cambridge. She was the first poet to record at Abbey Road Studios, London and won the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry for her poetic parenting memoir – Nobody Told Me – of which The Scotsman stated ‘The World Needs this Book’. She has published four further collections of poetry – Papers, Cherry Pie, Plum and Slug, which was a Sunday Times bestseller and translated into French under the title Je souhaite seulement que tu fasses quelque chose de toi. Her new book is Lobster, and other things I’m learning to love. She loves writing.
Quotes for Hollie:
“Funny, so smart and refreshingly honest” – Sarah Millican
“Her writing is sublime” – Ellie Taylor
“Makes me cry and howl with laughter” – Paapa Essiedu
“like Pam Ayres on acid” – Lemn Sissay
“One of the best poets we have”. – Matt Haig
”Never have we needed her more’ – Stylist
Socials:
Website: www.holliemcnish.com
Instagram: @holliepoetry
TikTok: @holliemcnish
Facebook: /holliepoetry
Twitter: @holliepoetry
Youtube: /holliemcnish
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £14/£12
Adult content warning 14+ / Book signing after the gig.
Music
Saturday March 29th
7:30 pm
Sound of the Sirens
Contemporary folk duo Sound of the Sirens are a singer-songwriter duo based in Exeter with a growing fanbase far beyond the south-west. High quality live music and entrancing onstage chemistry, camaraderie and banter make this an event not to be missed.
Pre-show meals must be booked in advance via Barbara on 01326 340630.
Event Starts: 19:30
Tickets £15/12(discount)
Children £7.50
