Rattle Tales have carved their niche: to spend an evening listening to short stories is not often on offer and pouring rain did not deter punters, who filled every seat in the house. Happily it was worth braving the elements.

The group proper consists of former students of Sussex University’s MA Creative Writing course. There was nothing amateurish about the quality and range of the programme, which featured six members and three guest storytellers.

Linda Baker’s unselfconscious performance of her character’s monologue, Waiting Outside Morrisons, surely deserves an airing on radio. Tristan Palmer’s brave, explicit yet sensitive account of two boys killing a swan for a prank might be useful to the probation service to initiate a discussion of the consequences of criminal action on victim and perpetrator. Amanda Velby-Everard’s suspenseful story, You Gave Me Garage Forecourt Flowers, unveiled a twist of dark obsession behind its light-hearted theme of adolescent friendships.

The provision of rattles was a quirky feature, but the very British audience was no more forthcoming than might be expected in making itself heard. Anyway, the group might reasonably reserve Q & As for their private working sessions. The stories more than satisfied their audience and really did not need its critique.