Always on
This project successfully funded on 2nd October 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
This project successfully funded on 2nd October 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
From pit to pitch to prime-time: Charlie Williams, Yorkshire legend & trailblazer of Black British comedy in a new play at The White Bear.
Eh Up, Me Old Flowers!
Bringing Charlie Williams Back to the Stage
About the Play
Eh Up, Me Old Flowers! is a two-hander celebrating the extraordinary life of Charlie Williams — a Yorkshire miner, professional footballer, and one of Britain’s first Black TV comedians.
After a critically acclaimed premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe (Pleasance Courtyard, 2022), we are bringing the play to The White Bear Theatre, London (9–20 September 2025).
This new production is not only a London showcase — it’s a launchpad for a 2026 regional theatre tour across Yorkshire and the North, taking Charlie’s story back to the communities that shaped him.
Why We’re Crowdfunding
The total budget for this run is £6,230. We’ve already personally invested heavily in development (over £38,000 during the Edinburgh premiere) and for this run, around £1000 in design, marketing, print and admin.
Now we need your help to raise a minimum of £2,000 by 12th September 2025 to cover urgent pre-production and rehearsal costs with a total goal of £3,500 by 26th September.
Where the Money Goes ~ here are some of the key expenditure items
Our total budget is £6,230 and we’re asking for £2,000–£3,500 to unlock the production. The rest is self-funded.
Why It Matters
Charlie Williams was a trailblazer — the son of a Yorkshire coal miner who became one of the most recognisable faces on British television. His story touches on race, class, and the changing face of Britain in the 20th century.
By supporting this production, you’re helping us:
Join Us
Every pound makes a difference. Whether you pledge money just because you would like to support the project or take advantage of our rewards, including £20 for a thank-you credit, £40 for tickets or £250 for Associate Producer status, you’ll be helping us tell Charlie’s story to new audiences.
About the Team
Writer & Director – Chris England
Chris is an acclaimed writer and performer, best known for co-writing the Olivier-nominated An Evening with Gary Lineker (West End & TV adaptation), Breakfast With Jonny Wilkinson (Stage & Screen), Bostock's Cup (Feature Film) and numerous theatre, radio and television projects. He also hosts a weekly podcast with comedian Nick Hancock called The Famous Sloping Pitch,
Chris says: ‘I was particularly drawn to Charlie’s remarkable life story because I too grew up in a mining town, not too far from Doncaster, and the great passions of my life have been football and comedy. So Charlie’s ups and downs always seemed to belong to one of our own.’
Cast – Tony Marshall
Tony is a familiar face to millions as Noel Garcia in Casualty (BBC), a role he played for over 12 years. Since then, he returned to theatre at the Leeds Playhouse and London’s Old Vic as Fielding in August Wilson’s Jitney, directed by Tinuke Craig. He was also nominated for on Offie Best Solo Performance for his portrayal of Errol in the one man show Everything I Own at Brixton House and written by Daniel Ward.
Tony’s TV credits include Nelson in Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes; Chris in Only Fools and Horses; Derek Dobson in the Sister Boniface Mysteries, Delmar Lloyd in Death in Paradise and he will soon be on our screens in the much-anticipated second series of ITV’s After the Flood. He also narrated the audiobook of Chris Kamara's autobiography Kammy: My Unbelievable Life.
Cast – Nick Denning-Read
Nick is an accomplished stage actor with a wealth of experience in new writing and regional theatre. He recently starred as Tony Reyes in The Deal, directed by Jean-Stéphane Bron, which premiered in March 2025 at the Series Mania International TV and Film Festival in Lille. He is also a founding member of the surreal comedy troupe zazU, which enjoyed multiple successful runs at Soho Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe.
Nick’s recent TV credits include Trigger Point (ITV), The Perfect Couple (Netflix) and Red Dwarf XII (Dave). Her has also appeared in the acclaimed dramas Victoria (ITV) and Humans (Channel 4/AMC). On film, Nick played Angus in Netflix’s I Came By, and starred in the indie feature Bugging Out. His additional film credits include Daddy Time, Ewww, and Scarlett Says.
Some reviews from Edinburgh 2022
‘Tony Marshall (Casualty) captures the very essence of Charlie Williams – the cheeky grin, pitch perfect comedy timing and of course the famous laugh – in a sharp script that combines classic gags with a wider examination of Williams and his place in the history of stand up comedy ’ – British Comedy Guide – Recommended
‘An excellent portrayal of Charlie Williams by Tony Marshall, and the play itself is full of great story-telling, and ultimately is remarkably moving. I was really surprised to find I had a tear in my eye at the end.’ – therealchrissparkle *****
‘With well-placed laughs and controversy sensitively handled… it’s recommended to anyone interested in British comedy history. And Charlie’s last joke might just have brought a tear to my eye.’ – Three Weeks ****
‘Eh Up Me Old Flowers is a class above the rest due to the quality of the writing, acting and the production values which gave it an emotional intensity I wasn’t expecting and I was genuinely moved by the end.’ – Dark Chat ****
‘For a second, especially when (Nick) Read joins in as (Charlie’s) The Comedians co-stars, you’re in that 1970s living room, laughing along…’ – Wee Review ****
‘The show is full of laughs. I can’t find suitable superlatives to describe the performance of Tony Marshall. This is not simply an actor performing an impression. This is a quite spookily presented portrayal of a man who arrived onstage delivering a fruity exhortation, that provides the title for this work.’ – UK Cabaret *****
Please support Eh Up, Me Old Flowers! and you can be part of the team bringing Charlie Williams back to the stage.
Thank you,
Simon Fielder ~ Producer
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made