About this event
"One very small gig… orchestrated by one very big fan".
When folk musician Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) arrives on the remote, sea-swept Wallis Island, he believes he’s coming to play an intimate gig for a few fans. In reality, the concert is for one man: Charles (Tim Key). Charles is a two-time lottery winner living on an English estate, and he’s a massive fan of Herb’s former folk duo: McGwyer & Mortimer. He owns their guitars, press clippings, and a few other items. As you’d expect, his fandom makes Herb queasy. Nevertheless, the growth of their awkward friendship messages the sweet pulse of this delightful film.
The director James Griffith’s “The Ballad of Wallis Island” is a sublime, adorable comedy whose roots can be traced to a short Griffith made eighteen years ago. This elongated version, written by the film’s stars: Basden and Key – never gives a hint of its modest origin. The film will bewitch you with its seemingly spontaneous humour, a cadre of original soulful folk tunes, and its adoration of the breathtaking surroundings.
