Music & Lyrics by KT Tunstall
Book and Directed by Cora Bissett
Review by Dominic Corr
Call off the search folks, Scotland’s found its next Musical milestone.
An electrifying fusion of physical expression, spoken word, and infectious gig-theatre, The Singer arrives at the Traverse as a triumphant manifesto on inclusion, artistic authenticity, and human communion. Co-produced by Dundee Rep, Solar Bear, and Aberdeen Performing Arts, this collaboration between writer-director Cora Bissett and songwriter KT Tunstall dismantles traditional theatrical boundaries to forge something genuinely transcendent.
Developed from a short lockdown project co-created alongside Deaf artist Jamie Rea, Bissett’s narrative follows an unlikely creative alliance. Joe (Rea) is a Deaf Glaswegian who experiences musical rhythm as a whole-body sensation, expressing his craft through physical movement and hand-singing. Across the cultural divide sits Andy (Dylan Wood), a burnt-out, self-destructive hearing songwriter busking on the streets after a stalled career. When an accidental encounter leads to a joint songwriting venture, their initial friction evolves into a complex exploration of artistic integrity. Wood steers his character’s spiky, flawed arc with remarkable nuance, allowing Andy to earn his redemption, whilst Rea delivers a powerhouse performance—radiating vulnerability, witty, and magnetic stage presence.
Tunstall’s score provides the emotional spine of the production. Packed with soaring anthems and intimate acoustic reflections, the compositions showcase her signature sonic style whilst seamlessly serving the narrative. The musical landscape is further elevated by the sensational Hannah Jarrett-Scott and Petre Dobre, who act as a two-person, multilingual Glaswegian chorus called the Oracles. Seamlessly shifting between narrative guides, colourful local figures, and relatives, both performers deliver stellar vocal and physical work. Jarrett-Scott shines when performing Tunstall’s tracks, whilst also providing hilarity as Andy’s neglected four-year-old daughter. Dobre anchors the show’s deeper emotional currents, delivering a deeply moving monologue as Joe’s grandfather, Pops.
Where The Singer truly excels is in its revolutionary approach to access. British Sign Language, creative dynamic captioning, and sound design operate not as supplementary accommodations, but as foundational artistic elements woven directly into the performance’s DNA. Daniel Hughes’ captioning integration stands out as a triumph, utilising blurs, fades, and sweeps to allow the text to move organically alongside the cast. Meanwhile, Benedetta Zanetti’s BSL direction ensures sign language acts as an extra character on stage.
Bissett’s direction balances sharp Glaswegian irreverence with profound, tear-inducing warmth. Whilst the plot occasionally echoes familiar industry-survival tropes, it elevates itself by posing sharp questions about ableism, commercial exploitation, and artistic ownership. Exuberant, uplifting, and fiercely original, The Singer demands that the hearing world lean forward and expand its understanding of music. It is an unforgettable milestone in modern musical theatre.
Milestone in Musical Theatre
The Singer runs Traverse 1 at The Traverse Theatre until August 30th
Running time – Eighty minutes
Photo credit – Tommy Gah-Ken Wan
Review by Dominic Corr (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Hunter is a 2024 Master’s graduate of the University of Edinburgh and current doctoral candidate with a thesis focused on experimental theatre in Edinburgh. He has been a theatre practitioner for over a decade having worked in many capacities including as a director, actor, stage manager, front of house manager, and technician as well as others. Prior to moving to Edinburgh, Hunter was a high school English teacher in the United States. His passion for the written word as well as his passion for live performance are what motivated him to become a writer for this publication.
