★★★★★ " (a) euphoric, empowered, hard-won high that makes you want to wear the T-shirt, read the book, see the film of it all" The Telegraph
"not only is it the best depiction of the early 90s music scene I’ve ever seen, it is a perceptive insight into the hopes and dreams of any band who’s ever touched the hem of success, only to have it whipped away from them.
More than that, it’s a very personal story." Steve Lamacq - read his blog about the show here
WINNER: SCOTSMAN FRINGE FIRST AWARD 2018
WINNER: HERALD ANGEL AWARD 2018
WINNER: OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE, SCOTTISH CULTURE AWARDS 2019
It’s 1992. In a small town in Fife, a girl is busting out of her skin to get out into the world and see what's on offer. And an ad in the local paper declares: Band Seeks Singer.
Grunge has just gone global, scruffy indie kids are inheriting the earth, and a schoolgirl from Glenrothes is catapulted to a rock star lifestyle as the singer in a hot new indie band. Touring with Radiohead, partying with Blur, she was living the dream. Until she wasn’t.
Based on her meticulously detailed, pull-no-punches teenage diaries, this is the true story of Cora Bissett’s rollercoaster journey from the girl she was to the woman she wanted to be.
Performing with a live band, directed by the Traverse’s award-winning Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin (Meet Me At Dawn, Milk, Swallow), Cora (Midsummer) celebrates life’s euphoric highs and epic shitstorms, asking what wisdom we should pass on to the next generation – and which glorious mistakes we should let them make.
Written & performed by Cora Bissett
Directed by Orla O'Loughlin
A Raw Material & Traverse Theatre Company co-production in association with Regular Music
Photos by Mihaela Bodlovic
"not only is it the best depiction of the early 90s music scene I’ve ever seen, it is a perceptive insight into the hopes and dreams of any band who’s ever touched the hem of success, only to have it whipped away from them.
More than that, it’s a very personal story." Steve Lamacq - read his blog about the show here
WINNER: SCOTSMAN FRINGE FIRST AWARD 2018
WINNER: HERALD ANGEL AWARD 2018
WINNER: OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE, SCOTTISH CULTURE AWARDS 2019
It’s 1992. In a small town in Fife, a girl is busting out of her skin to get out into the world and see what's on offer. And an ad in the local paper declares: Band Seeks Singer.
Grunge has just gone global, scruffy indie kids are inheriting the earth, and a schoolgirl from Glenrothes is catapulted to a rock star lifestyle as the singer in a hot new indie band. Touring with Radiohead, partying with Blur, she was living the dream. Until she wasn’t.
Based on her meticulously detailed, pull-no-punches teenage diaries, this is the true story of Cora Bissett’s rollercoaster journey from the girl she was to the woman she wanted to be.
Performing with a live band, directed by the Traverse’s award-winning Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin (Meet Me At Dawn, Milk, Swallow), Cora (Midsummer) celebrates life’s euphoric highs and epic shitstorms, asking what wisdom we should pass on to the next generation – and which glorious mistakes we should let them make.
Written & performed by Cora Bissett
Directed by Orla O'Loughlin
A Raw Material & Traverse Theatre Company co-production in association with Regular Music
Photos by Mihaela Bodlovic
BOOK TICKETS
PHOTOS
REVIEWS
★★★★★ 'Pure joy from Cora Bissett' The Herald
★★★★★ 'Euphoric and deeply moving autobiographical gig theatre' The Stage
★★★★★ '(a) euphoric, empowered, hard-won high that makes you want to wear the T-shirt, read the book, see the film of it all'. The Telegraph
★★★★ 'joyful and radiantly energetic' The Scotsman
★★★★ 'feel-good rock’n’roll theatre' The Times
★★★★ 'a roaring, exhilarating show' The Independent
★★★★ ‘entirely joyous celebration of female resilience’ Time Out
‘effortlessly joyful’ The Observer
★★★★★ 'Euphoric and deeply moving autobiographical gig theatre' The Stage
★★★★★ '(a) euphoric, empowered, hard-won high that makes you want to wear the T-shirt, read the book, see the film of it all'. The Telegraph
★★★★ 'joyful and radiantly energetic' The Scotsman
★★★★ 'feel-good rock’n’roll theatre' The Times
★★★★ 'a roaring, exhilarating show' The Independent
★★★★ ‘entirely joyous celebration of female resilience’ Time Out
‘effortlessly joyful’ The Observer
ABOUT THE SHOW
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CAST
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CREATIVE TEAM
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Cora Bissett
Simon Donaldson Susan Bear/Cathryn Archer/Emma Smith Harry Ward |
Orla O’Loughlin
Director Ana Inés Jabares-Pita Designer Lizzie Powell Lighting Designer MJ McCarthy Composer & Sound Designer Eve Nicol Assistant Director |
PREVIOUS PERFORMANCES
Take Me Somewhere, Tron Theatre (Work In Progress)
May 2018
PREMIERE
Traverse Festival, Edinburgh
3 - 26 August 2018
Glasgow, Citizens Theatre @Tramway
9-13 April 2019
Edinburgh, Traverse Theatre
16-20 April 2019
Belfast, The Mac
1-5 May 2019
Kirkcaldy, Adam Smith
7-8 May 2019
Dundee Rep
14-15 May 2019
Stirling, Macrobert Arts Centre
17-18 May 2019
Sao Paulo, Brazil
24-26 May 2019
Spoleto Festival, USA
4-8 Jun 2019
Assembly Hall, Edinburgh Festival Fringe
1-25 Aug 2019
IN THE MEDIA
The Guardian'When Dad died, I unearthed my teenage diaries – and turned my time as a rock star into a play'
READ ARTICLE |
The Herald'Cora Bissett on her autobiographical indie-pop play What Girls Are Made Of'
READ ARTICLE |
The Scotsman |