Before there was carolling, there was wassailing, where seasonal songs were exchanged for money, food and ale. In the countryside, trees were blessed, while in the towns wassailers went house to house with their songs and calls for Christmas treats. Coming from the Anglo-Saxon ‘waes hael’, ‘wassail’ is a toast wishing good health with a ‘be well’.

Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden combine their considerable talents and reputations within the UK folk scene, for the first time ever touring as a duo for a nationwide wassail across key venues. Presenting seasonal, traditional material on a stage decorated for the occasion, they will take audiences back to some of the oldest songs in the English canon, telling Christmas tales, spreading good cheer and lighting up the darkest days of the year, ahead of Christmas Day itself.

They are joined on stage by Brass Band London as well as dancer and actor Ewan Wardrop, formerly a principal performer with Matthew Bourne’s company Adventures in Motion Picture.

Opening the show will be folk singer, fiddle player and songwriter Lisa Knapp who has been described by Uncut as ‘a unique voice’. Lisa will be bringing her own seasonal songs and tunes to Cadogan Hall, setting the scene for a night of Christmas magic.

‘Eliza Carthy is one of the figureheads of the English folk revival.’ (Evening Standard)

‘The stand out performer of his generation’ (The Guardian on Jon Boden)