Tea and Sympathy

The creation of Jo Coldwell and Melissa Porter, “Tea and Sympathy” began as a once a month bar night in the eccentric old building  at 113 - 115 Crouch Street, which the two ladies ran as a tea and retro shop. Over the course of 2013 the T&S girls brought their combined creative genius to a variety of quirky and eccentric venues including: The Colne Lightship on King Edward Quay, St. Martin’s Church in the Town’s historic Dutch Quarter and  now Colchester Arts Centre.

Tea & Sympathy has become Colchester’s most eclectic, not to mention peripatetic Bohemian Night Club!

Famed for its Jam Jar Cocktails, and mix of weird and wonderful entertainments; regular performers include DJ FETTDOG, Burlesque Troupe HELLES BELLES, and Fire performers FYREFLIES.

NUOS regulars Dean Allen Jones and Alice d’Lumiere are also mainstays of the Tea and Sympathy performance coterie; known respectively for their Impossible Magic, and Glamorous mix of Storytelling and Compereing and collectively for their Tailoring Talents, Our Magicians are complimented  almost as much for their outfits as their performances! They have been joined on a number of occasions by awesome Contact Juggler Matt Ball

Each month a different theme is announced, from “The Great Gatsby” to “Day of the Dead” from “Moulin Rouge” to “Down the Rabbit Hole” each night gives revelers and performers alike fresh ideas for frivolity and a licence to dress up fabulously - an opportunity the Boys and Girl of NUOS are NEVER able to resist - as these pictures, many by the awesomely talented photographers, Deborah Cosgrove,  and Ness Bobby-Rose ably demonstrate…


If you wish to find out more about Tea and Sympathy Events check out their Facebook Page.