Punchdrunk Enrichment announce new Christmas show, Fireside Tales

As the nights grow colder and the dark draws near, a light glows in the distance.

It’s inviting you to take part in the ritual of the fire season. 

Punchdrunk Enrichment (Enitan’s Game, The Lost Lending Library) have announced a brand-new show for Christmas. Fireside Tales, written and directed by Steve McCourt, is an enchanting interactive adventure for children aged 7-11 and their grown-ups, running at Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park, Brent, from 6 December 2025 to 4 January 2026. 

For thousands of years, people have gathered around fires to share stories. But this tradition is fading, and many are at risk of being lost. Now, a new story has arrived: faint as an ember, not yet ready to be told. It needs help to stay alive. Without care, the fire might fade, be forgotten or take on a dangerous new form. 

Fireside Tales is a show about the stories we tell, the ones we pass down, the ones we forget and what happens when we take the time to listen. Audiences are invited to step into a magical world where stories flicker like flames and imagination keeps them burning bright. Developed with schools, Fireside Tales encourages young audiences to draw, write and share their own stories.  

Writer and director Steve McCourt said:

As someone who has dedicated their career to providing platforms for youth voice, ‘Fireside Tales’ stands as an exciting opportunity for the children of Brent and beyond to share their stories with the world. For millennia, we have gathered to share tales of resilience, hope and home - in an increasingly isolating world, it’s essential we hold on to that spark of imagination and the flame of community spirit.

Punchdrunk Enrichment was founded in 2008 to take the innovative practice of Punchdrunk into communities and schools. Punchdrunk are celebrated as pioneers of a new form of theatre in which roaming audiences experience epic storytelling inside sensory theatrical worlds. Today, Punchdrunk Enrichment is an independent charity creating transformational theatrical experiences for education, community, and family audiences.  

Previous productions include Enitan’s Game (the first show to be staged in the company’s own unique immersive venue, Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores, in Brent), The Lost Lending Library (Edinburgh International Festival and now touring internationally), Against Captain’s Orders  (created in partnership with the National Maritime Museum), Greenhive Green (which took place in a care home for older people including those with dementia) and digital experiences The Wild Visitor and Our Home Story. 

Brent-based theatre maker and educator Steve McCourt has created work alongside some of the most celebrated companies (Tall Stories, Blind Summit, Improbable) on some of the world’s most recognised stages, including the West End (The Lyric, The Vaudeville), Sydney Opera House and Bregenzer Festspiele. His work ignites intergenerational conversation and champions youth voice as a driver for change. Originally trained as a performer, Steve is an Associate Artist of The Arts Centre, Hounslow and Associate Director at Punchdrunk Enrichment. 

Punchdrunk Enrichment are based in Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park. Their mission is to celebrate the power of the imagination and storytelling to empower young people to be the best that they can be, whilst offering training for educators and artists and providing support for local creatives.

Brent residents can get a 20% discount on tickets for Fireside Tales by signing up to the Punchdrunk Enrichment mailing list.

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Fireside Tales will run at Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park from 6th December 2025 to 4th January 2026. Tickets are priced from £15, and can be booked via punchdrunkenrichment.org