What would you do if you won the lottery? Charles answers the age-old question by inviting his favourite former folk duo to his remote island, where the estranged band members prove that some flames never die...
The Ballad of Wallis Island 2025
Charles (Tim Key) is lonely – an eccentric widower who lives on a remote and picturesque Welsh island. Having won the lottery (twice!), he invites his favourite band, the former folk duo, McGwyer Mortimer, to the island to play for a very small audience. The trouble is, one-time lovers, Herb (Tom Basden) and Nell (Carey Mulligan), haven’t spoken in years, and each has no idea the other is coming. Things get especially awkward for Herb when Nell brings her new husband along.
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a melancholic, whimsical story about addressing and moving on from the past. Graced with original songs by Basden, and lashings of comic wordplay by Key, both UK comedy veterans, its heart belongs to Charles, whose overzealous, garrulous nature hints at sadness beneath the surface.
As the characters grapple with loneliness and fear and the uncertainty of the future, the highs and lows that come with love are kept in delicate balance. Subtle, wise and generous of spirit, this is an unsentimental but truly sweet treat. — Madison Marshall