What Girls Are Made Of
Theatre Production
Writer and Performer
Directed by Orla O’Loughlin
★★★★★
“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
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.
Herald Angel, 2018
Fringe First, 2018
The Scottish Cultural Awards
Cora Bissett for Outstanding Performance 2018
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Performing with a live band, directed by the Traverse’s award-winning Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin (Meet Me At Dawn, Milk, Swallow), Cora 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.
“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
★★★★★
“Euphoric and deeply moving autobiographical gig theatre”
- The Stage
★★★★
“joyful and radiantly energetic”
- The Scotsman
★★★★
“feel-good rock’n’roll theatre”
- The Times
★★★★
“entirely joyous celebration of female resilience”
- Time Out
★★★★
“a roaring, exhilarating show”
- The Independent
Trailer
In the media
The Guardian
When Dad died, I unearthed my teenage diaries – and turned my time as a rock star into a play
The Herald
Cora Bissett on her autobiographical indie-pop play What Girls Are Made Of
The Scotsman
Rise and fall of forgotten Scottish indie band to inspire new Fringe show
Book
A paperback and e-book version of the What Girls Are Made Of script is available from Bloomsbury.
What Girls Are Made Of is the true story of Bissett's teenage years, based on her meticulously detailed, pull-no-punches diaries, which she found after the death of her father. It's a rollercoaster journey from the girl she was to the woman she wanted to be: rocketed into teenage stardom, suddenly dropped by their manager, and then the following of years of becoming an actor, writer and director.
Described by Miro Magazine as "a glorious mixture of harrowing and life-affirming messages", the script also includes a play list of female-led soundtracks, that were played in the production.
Blog Posts
Cast
Cora Bissett
Simon Donaldson
Susan Bear / Cathryn Archer / Emma Smith
Grant O'Rourke / Harry Ward
Creative Team
Directed by Orla O'Loughlin
Designer Ana Inés Jabares-Pita
Lighting Designer Lizzie Powell
Composer and Sound Design MJ McCarthy
Assistant Director Eve Nicol
Produced by Raw Material and the Traverse Theatre in association with Regular Music.