Words: Chloe Shimmin

Cora Bissett explores life, love and loss in her auto-biographical show, decades after her indie-rock band Darlingheart shot to fame. She was a teenager in Fife when the band’s demo tape was played on Radio 4 and catapulted them into the music industry, with no idea what was coming next.

Clutching a box of newspaper clippings that her late father had kept, Bissett transports us back to her teenage years with her band by her side. These exceptional actor-musicians live and breathe the characters, rocking out as Darlingheart, then arguing as a family unit, then becoming the band manager, the roadie…the list goes on. 

Bissett mesmerizes; she is an exceptional storyteller. It is an art to take inspiration from real events and to create a piece that weaves music, the vibe of the era and the truth of what happens when the dream fades. 

The big highs and big lows of her life are clear, with the exceptionally painful experiences of having dreams dashed, losing a parent, and losing a child, which devastate the audience. But Bissett takes control of her narrative. Female power and strength echo throughout the show. It is a rebellion: she is a formidable Shetland pony standing strong in the storm.

Bissett is both a youthful, reckless indie-kid, and a wise, experienced woman all at once. 

An unmatched piece of gig-theatre.

What Girls Are Made Of
Assembly Rooms, Music Hall
13.00
8, 10-13, 15-20, 22-27 Aug