EDINBURGH 2026: Review: THE SINGER, Traverse Theatre

The Singer is a new piece of gig theatre,l written and directed by Cora Bissett, with music by KT Tunstall. 

Andy (Dylan Wood) is a frustrated singer-songwriter who has lost his spark. He had the potential to make it big, but it didn’t quite work out for him, and now he’s busking in Glasgow. After a particularly demoralising night, he meets Joe (Jamie Rea), who compliments him on his music. Andy is surprised by this as Joe is profoundly deaf, but Joe explains that he can feel the music in his soul. 

Over beers, Andy learns that Joe has a real talent for songwriting and the pair start working together to create something special. It’s a change of pace for Dylan Wood, who normally plays characters that are easy to love, but Andy has moments of being a real prick. He’s lost his flat as he didn’t pay rent, he’s not there for his young daughter and he doesn’t always treat Joe well. It’s a testament to both Bissett’s writing and Wood’s performance that he manages to redeem himself. 

Jamie Rea as Joe is a real shining star. He captures both the vulnerability of Joe, a man who just wants to be seen but he’s also playful and cheeky. Some of the best moments of the performance are watching the pair communicate as Andy tries to create signs to be understood and Joe seizes every opportunity to take the piss. The show features captions on screens, which are used both as part of the narrative and for access. 

Playing a variety of characters are Hannah Jarrett-Scott and Peter Dobre, who speak and sign as narrators throughout. It’s always a real treat to hear Jarrett-Scott sing and these songs penned by KT Tunstall feel as if they were written for her voice. The musical numbers are inclusive for both the deaf/hard of hearing audience and the ‘hearies’ as the signs allow everyone to join in. Tunstall fans will be delighted to hear the new tracks, which carry her Signature Sound but are so uniquely crafted for this piece. 

Cora Bissett’s writing excels at balancing humour and lightness with the more emotional side of this story. Hannah Jarrett-Scott is particularly wonderful as Andy’s four-year-old daughter Layla, who is represented onstage by a backpack and unicorn headband, and she brings big laughs but also strikes a chord as a little girl who feels abandoned by her father. Peter Dobre gives one of the most impactful monologues of the show as Pops which also gives classic Scottish grandfather- quietly observing for most of the time and then coming out with something deeply profound.

The Singer is a triumphant new musical that feels inherently Scottish with banging tunes, outstanding performances and a wicked sense of humour.

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