Liars' League (london)

*LIVE EVENT RECORDING* Nobody loves you when you're DOWN & OUT - except Liars' League and our talented troupe of actors, who get their kicks from reading the hell out of brand new fiction ... On Tuesday 10th June The Phoenix's bustling basement bar, heard tales of subway blackouts, boxing knockouts, teacher burnouts, Victorian gamblers on the skids & downright doppelgangers. RUNNING ORDER OF STORIES for DOWN & OUT "Power Restored" by John Istel, read by Dan Starkey "The Other Holly Williams" by Hannah Noyce, read by Kim Scopes "The Replacement" by Neil James NEW AUTHOR, read by Oliver Yellop INTERVAL & INFAMOUS BOOK QUIZ "The Golden Hell" by Maria Kyle, read by Rose Biggin "War with Troy: Year 9, Period 4, Friday" by Brian Kelly, read by Matthew McAloone Host: Tim Aldrich Director/Audio Recording: Katy Darby

This April we took a chance, placed our bets, & reaped the reward of five new risk-taking tales from our winning authors, featuring fugitive lovers, train heists, theft on the Riviera (1920s-style), London burnout & competitive Lego - PLUS an exclusive flash fiction from host Liam Hogan to celebrate the publication of his new short story collection, A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FUTURE.  RUNNING ORDER for RISK & REWARD "Certitude" by Scott Tierney - read by Silas Hawkins  "Pilgrim's Trail" by Cecilia Maddison new author - read by Rose Biggin "Everybody Wants London" by Alix Owen - read by Ray Newe INTERVAL & BOOK QUIZ "Brick by Brick" by MJ Lee - read by Nathan Unthank "A Game of Musical Souls" by Liam Hogan - read by Tony Bell (Longlist for Writers' & Artists' Competition 2025) "Pearl Onions" by Alex Edwards new author - read by Dan Starkey

For Valentine's, our adorable actors read six brand-new original short stories of love, lust & losing it - featuring medical dating, sexual surveillance, spies in (forbidden) love, banging in bookshops, tomcatting around & 24 ways to leave your lover. Heart's desire or hearts on fire, fall in love with our fiction ... DESIRE & DESPAIR STORIES: RUNNING ORDER "Gorgeous" by Al Crow, read by Patsy Prince "A Covert Affair" by Bronia Flett, read by David Vickery "24 Ways to Leave your Lover" by Andreas Paraskevaides, read by Carrie Cohen *INTERVAL & BOOK QUIZ* "We Have Nothing to Hide" by Jennifer Gaboury, read by Clareine Cronin "He Brings me Birds" by Cheryl Powell, read by Grace Cookey-Gam "By Appointment" by Lauren Van Schaik, read by Lizzie Muncey Directed, hosted & recorded by Katy Darby

This spooky season we've selected tales of poison-books & creepy crosswords, bodies in the attic, onanistic alchemists, ghost cats (& dogs, & birds), & wives who just won't stay dead. STORY LINE-UP for BELL, BOOK & CANDLE "Bag of Bones" by Angelita Lapuz Bradney - read by Margaret Ashley "Family Recipes" by Lisa Farrell - read by Gloria Sanders "Little Man" by Rhys Timson - read by Tony Bell INTERVAL & INFAMOUS BOOK QUIZ "Two Down" by Hannah Noyce - read by Kim Scopes "This Big Future" by Elizabeth Stott - read by Clive Greenwood "Nipped" by Joshua James Jordan - read by David Mildon

The 8th edition of our annual talent-spotting tour-de-force of female-led fiction features stunning stories by five women writers, exploring everything from aliens to arson, recorded live at the Phoenix, Cavendish Square, London. RUNNING ORDER 1) "KARMA" by Katie Lewis, read by Alexandra Kenna - Black Mirror meets the dark web in this tense tale of the deadly consequences of voyeurism 2) "A DOLL'S HEAD IN HACKNEY" by Kathryn Sharpe, read by Miranda Harrison - Divorce, adoption & a doll's head to bind them ... 3) "ALL THE TIMES I THOUGHT I WAS PREGNANT" by JM Cyrus, read by Aren Devlin - Surreal humour when an overthinking teen finds love in the most unusual place INTERVAL & INFAMOUS BOOK QUIZ 4) "TALONS & TEETH" by Lizzie Muncey, read by the author - The collapse & rebirth of a suburban family, as told by their nosy neighbour 5) "TINY FURIES" by E. Ce Miller, read by Martine Richards - Absolute scenes in first-grade after Bree brings in a bento box for lunch ... Director/Editor/Recording - Katy D

Recorded live before a literature-loving London audience, professional actors read five brand new short stories of SPORTS & LEISURE. We've got state carnivals & frozen fairs; rifle ranges & pub quiz teams; stoned time-travellers, elephants, bears, & a lifelong friendship measured in marathon miles. So put in your earbuds and join us for a workout in words ... SPORTS & LEISURE STORIES - RUNNING ORDER "Frost Fair" by JJ Surtees, read by Claire Lacey "Back of the Pack" by Paul Lamb, read by Tony Bell "Romancing the Cherry" by Laura Morgan, read by Patsy Prince INTERVAL & BOOK QUIZ "Shooting Gallery" by Abigail Lee, read by Gloria Sanders "Incident 420" by Charlotte Davis, read by Sarah Barlex & Jay Hunt Hosted by Liam Hogan, directed & recorded by Katy Darby at The Phoenix, Cavendish Square, London on Tuesday 11th June 2024.

Six fantastic, phantasmagoric short stories read live by our talented company of actors, featuring lottery-predicting angels, terraforming experiments, surreal documentary disasters, Victorian widowers, sinister peripheral visions & the place where all half-baked ideas & unfulfilled dreams go to die ... RUNNING ORDER "Corner of her Eye" by Caroline von Schmalensee, read by Gloria Sanders "We’re all here to save the world" by Sarah Richardson, read by Magnus Rook "The Lord is Mike Shepherd" by Jonathan Sellars, read by Tony Bell INTERVAL "Colours with No Name" by Elizabeth Hopkinson, read by Tim Larkfield "Every Damned Thing" by David Turnbull, read by Ray Newe "I fell in love with my documentary crew" by David McGrath, read by the author

From office romances to vengeful fairies and laundromats to lunatic asylums, via kleptomania and commuting bears, we've a tasty selection of seductive stories for you to enjoy from our Valentine's Eve special! Listen on your own or share with a loved one (or two, or three ... MIX & MATCH RUNNING ORDER Introduction - Host Liam Hogan "Thrill" by Georgina Sims, read by Gloria Sanders "An Evening at the Faeling Cafe" by Charlotte Davis, read by Sophie Morris-Sheppard "The Sea Captain and the Mad Doctor" by Lianne Warr, read by Tony Bell "What Was and What Is" by Kathryn Sharpe, read by Katy Darby "Somebody" by Lanay Griessner, read by Lucy Mabbitt "Silver Lining" by Ricardo Visinho, read by Paul Clarke Director & Editor - Katy Darby

The Liars' League Christmas Special, HEARTH & HOME, is a stocking stuffed full of brand-new festive fiction for you to enjoy over the winter holidays. Our six specially-written short stories will whisk you to snowy postwar Berlin, a brooding Victorian mansion, and the worst pub in Ireland, and introduce you to Welsh witches, secret base-jumpers and an alcoholic reindeer. You can even play along with our fiendish seasonally-themed quiz at the interval ... RUNNING ORDER "Tripping the Light Fantastic" by Matt Barnard, read by Stephen Butterton "The Visit" by Marta Patiño. read by Carrie Cohen (Most Valuable Player [Actor] 2023) "Red Nose" by Rhys Timson (Most Valuable Player [Author] 2023), read by Zach Harrison INTERVAL & BOOK QUIZ "Looking for Matti" by Grace Andreacchi, read by Sarah Barlex "Aelwyd" by Lianne Warr, read by David Mildon "Donkey Tom" by David McGrath, read by Jamie Laird MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

In honour of the darkening season, LL presents professional actors reading tales of Caribbean monsters, ghostly queens, psychotic cats, murderous whales, headless women & a deadly game of hide-and-seek, from our shadow-haunted Halloween special! STORIES for DOOM & GLOOM (in running order) "Be Lucky, Girls" by Hannah Downes, read by Lucy Mabbitt "Come Find Me" by Pat Black, read by Lisa Rose "The Whale, in Six Parts" by Maria Kyle, read by Thomas Delacourt * INTERVAL & BOOK QUIZ * "Skinning the Cat" by Lanay Griessner, read by Silas Hawkins "By the Flower, not the Axe" by Leila Murton Poole, read by Clareine Cronin "When Duppy does come, who are you?" by Clarissa Angus, read by Sophie Cartman

Our seventh annual celebration of female-authored fiction, with actresses reading brand new short stories by women writers of wolves, motherhood, seaside surrealism and more ...

Five fantastic actors read five new short stories of shadow-haunting monsters, heroic henchmen, epic wrestling battles, Guyanese bandits and how to save the world (maybe) ... ORDER OF STORIES FOR HEROES & VILLAINS Four Barrels of Ale by David Klotzkin, read by Tony Bell Henchmen Wanted by Rhys Timson, read by Lisa Rose The Greater Good by Marc-Anthony Hurr, read by Jeremiah O'Connor INTERVAL & INFAMOUS BOOK QUIZ! The Man Downstairs by Renesha Dhanraj, read by Anoushka Deshmukh The Grappler by S. Tierney, read by Clive Greenwood Host: Liam Hogan Director: Katy Darby

2023 sees the first UK Coronation in 70 years ... so our April event was themed on Royalty & Revolution - political, sexual, scientific & more. Our fantastic actors read brand new stories of murder PR, royal/rustic romance, grieving Queens, how to poison a tyrant & the political protest to end them all ... or will it? STORY RUNNING ORDER The Princess & the Kennel-Girl by Fiona Mossman - read by Patsy Prince Heads of State by Richie Jones - read by Nathaniel Ashley A Queen Cannot by Joseph Surtees - read by Lin Sagovsky INTERVAL & BOOK QUIZ The King's Potatoes by Jerome McFadden - read by Paul Clarke We Accept Your Demands by Oliver Bussell - read by Sarah Feathers Hosted by Liam Hogan, directed by Katy Darby. Recorded live at The Phoenix, Cavendish Square, London on Tuesday 11th April 2023

Six short stories, sexy & sad, frank & funny, riding the highs & lows of love, lust & everything in between. Meet agony aunts, lost loves, AI relationship mediators, singletons going spare, pill-popping avant-garde artists, mothers in despair & horny Victorian teens. RUNNING ORDER for AGONY & ECSTASY Introduction by Liam Hogan - Interview at the RSA by Sarah Richardson, read by Andrea Hall - Starfish by Donna Tracy, read by Linda Shannon - Meedy by Will Conway read by Rich Keeble - Mushroom by Melanie Carvalho, read by Katy Darby - Not Raven But Drowning by MJ Lee, read by Keleigh Wolf - Dear Miss Maguire by Amy Eddings, read by Oliver Yellop & Caroline O'Mahoney Hosted by Liam Hogan, directed & recorded by Katy Darby at The Phoenix, Cavendish Square, London on Tuesday 14th February, 2023.

Hopes! Fears! Drunks! Turkeys! Skulls! Cats! Divorce! ... and all the other things that make Christmas so special! For December's edition we've stuffed your stocking with Hollywood noir, skull-stealing students, escapologist turkeys, cats up chimneys, and quietly tragic YouTube instructional videos. Pour yourself a mulled wine, pull up a mince pie, and enjoy! HOPES & FEARS STORIES: Running Order "Tinseltown" by Niall Boyce, read by Keleigh Wolf "How to Build your Dreamhouse" by Rhys Timson, read by Paul Clarke "A Cranium for Christmas" by E. P. Henderson, read by Lucy Mabbitt THE INFAMOUS FESTIVE BOOK QUIZ - PLAY ALONG! "Dear Puss" by Donna Tracy, read by Lisa Rose "Trimmings" by Mark Barlex, read by Sarah Barlex

Avast! We've a scurvy sackful of swashbuckling stories for you this month, to chill your blood and shiver your timbers in time for Hallowe'en. There's sea-swept ghosts, grave-robbing, meat-smuggling, heart-eating, demonic middle-management, skulls, bones, vampires, zombies and of course PIRATES! STORY RUNNING ORDER FOR SKULL & CROSSBONES Kaleidoscope Girl by Sarah Richardson, read by Lucy Mabbitt Pirate Meat by Ken Towl, read by Andrew Baguley Skulduggery by Maria Kyle, read by Stephen Butterton *INTERVAL & HORRIFIC BOOK QUIZ!* Convivial by Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone, read by Caroline O'Mahoney One Last Hurrah by Madison McSweeney, read by Silas Hawkins Widespread and Unnecessary Unrest on the Astral Plane by Mark Barlex, read by Keleigh Wolf

In flaming June, we present tales of travel & abroad: a bulging suitcase of stories to take you from the frozen lakes of Hell to the sweltering cities of North Africa, via Northern Ireland, fantasy-world theme parks, a trip up the Amazon and a slip back in time. Destinations include: The Yorkshire Dales, Alexandria, Hades, Narnia, Belfast, the mysterious South American kingdom of Guatelumbia Methods of travel: On foot, Charon's ferry, Egyptian microbus, Gerry's Famous Belfast Taxi Tour, Spanish galleon & stolen unicorn. RUNNING ORDER (Host: Liam Hogan) To Saad Zaghloul by the Sea by Guy Howie, read by Stephen Butterton On the Corpse Way by Dan Hinge, read by Lin Sagovsky Worldly Goods by Cheryl Powell, read by Tony Bell Billy and Gerry by Will Mann, read by Jeremiah O'Connor The Land the World Forgot by Ibar Murphy, read by Katy Darby Holiday Wardrobe by James Burt, read by Jennifer Aries

For the League's 15th birthday, we selected five stories by emerging and established writers of colour, to bring you a broad and brilliant spectrum of fiction from contemporary comedy to folk-horror, via family drama, dark fantasy and "a mosh pit run by the NHS" :) Our Colour & Vision event at The Phoenix, W1 on 12 April 2022 featured our professional actors with extensive experience in theatre, film, TV and radio, reading brand new writing by authors from around the UK with roots in China, Malaysia, Cambodia, Nigeria and Armenia/Cyprus. Here's the line-up: DRAGON BLOOD, PIG HEART by Junyi Chew, read by Rebecca Yeo TETHERED CROWNS by Kariny Vee, read by DK Ugonna SATURDAY NIGHTS HAVE CHANGED by Soraya Berry, read by Aren Devlin HOW TO KEEP THEM AWAY by Nora Nadjarian, read by Jasmine Raymond ODD NUMBERS by James Odunsi, read by Sophie Cartman Director/Host: Katy Darby

Whether you're lovestruck, fed up, coupled-up or strictly solo, we have some fitting fiction for you! Six seductive stories of carnal consumption, gift donkeys, morality apps, tender tales of human love in an alien world, foul-mouthed ghosts, vengeful exes and magical lady-gardens. ROMANCE & REVENGE LINE UP The Welsden Herald Hedge Witch by Liam Hogan, read by Carrie Cohen Never Look a Gift Donkey in the Mouth by Callum Jacobs, read by Claire Louise Amias Just Not Cricket by Sophie Bloom, read by Gloria Sanders INTERVAL & BOOK QUIZ Understanding by Hannah Hoare, read by Stephen Butterton Good Enough to Eat by Helen Morris, read by Patsy Prince Let there be Tigers by Sara Corris, read by Andrea Hall Romance & Revenge was performed on Tuesday 8th February 2022 at The Phoenix, Cavendish Square, London.