DOES an evening of cosying up in an Grade II listed Georgian house to listen to some serious storytelling float your boat? Of course it does! Then circle the date in your diary for Damn Write.

Hosted by Old Trunk Theatre and featuring a wealth of authors, writers, poets, performers, television scriptwriters, musicians and actors, who will be reading and writing short tales based on the theme of 'witches, bitches and queens', it takes place on Friday December 8, from 8pm.

Stories last for around five minutes each, with an extended slot from author Syd Moore, who will be reading from her latest novel, Strange Sight, the second in a series of stories based around an Essex Witch Museum.

She will also be available for book signing.

It all takes place at the Metal Arts base in Chalkwell Hall, Chalkwell Park, Chalkwell Avenue, Westcliff.

Old Trunk, the Theatre Company is run by playwright, actor and director duo Sadie Hasler and Sarah Mayhew, both from Southend.

The company was behind hit plays Pramkicker and Fran and Leni.

Damn Write is a relaunch (and renaming) of their popular storytelling night Tales and Ales, which has sold out evenings at venues such as The Alex, Clifftown Theatre, and Chalkwell Hall.

Co artistic director and playwright of Old Trunk, Sadie says: “We’re really excited to start up Tales and Ales again under a new guise.

"We decided to call this incarnation Damn Write as it’s a bit sassier and we feel it encapsulates the spirit of the times. We can’t wait to welcome both new and familiar faces and present a mixed bag of feisty, funny, inspiring, heartwarming, and spine-chilling stories. It’ll be especially lovely to do it in the lead up to Christmas. Any excuse for mince pies and mulled wine, right?”

The event is ticketed only, available in advance from eventbrite.co.uk