Thirty years after first performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, singer-songwriter KT Tunstall is returning to the arts festival to score a ground-breaking new musical. The production, developed alongside Jamie Rea and theatre company Solar Bear, bridges the deaf and hearing communities through an innovative collaborative staging.
The Bottom Line
- The Milestone: KT Tunstall returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe three decades after her initial appearances, this time as the composer for a new theatrical production.
- The Collaborative Roots: The musical evolved from a pandemic-era short film titled The Singer, created by Jamie Rea and featuring a narrative that mirrors Tunstall’s own personal experiences with hearing loss.
- The Production Team: The project brings together regional institutions including Aberdeen Performing Arts and Dundee Rep alongside Solar Bear, a theatre company which works with both deaf and hearing performers.
From Festival Roots to Theatrical Scoring
For singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe holds decades-old memories. Now, she is heading back to Scotland’s cultural showcase for a different kind of homecoming. Tunstall has signed on to write the music for a new full-length musical that pushes accessibility forward in the Scottish theatre landscape, according to reporting from the BBC and EuropeSays.
The project’s thematic core mirrors Tunstall’s own life. The production follows an unlikely partnership between a deaf musician and a washed-up Glasgow busker. That narrative hits close to home for the artist, who noted the striking convergence of elements during early creative discussions.
“I couldn’t believe the convergence of elements being so close to my life because we’ve got a deaf character,” Tunstall shares, as reported by EuropeSays. Her connection to the subject matter is deeply personal. “My younger brother was born profoundly deaf and I lost my hearing in 2018, so I don’t have any hearing on my left-hand side. That’s been a real kind of journey, getting used to being someone who’s hard of hearing and being a musician. And then the other character is a busker in Glasgow. Which was me!”
The Creative Pipeline Behind The Production
The genesis of this stage adaptation traces back to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jamie Rea, a student at the time, collaborated with Cora on a short film titled The Singer, which laid the conceptual groundwork for the current musical. Following the short film’s reception, the creators expanded the concept into a full-length show.
Bringing a bilingual, visually integrated script to life requires institutional lifting. The creative team partnered with Scottish arts organizations, including Aberdeen Performing Arts and Dundee Rep. Crucially, they also teamed up with Solar Bear, a theatre company that works with both deaf and hearing cast and crew members.
Jennifer Bates, creative director at Solar Bear, emphasizes the gravity of the undertaking. Bates describes the collaboration as “a significant moment” for the Scottish theatre landscape, highlighting its commitment to integrating deaf and hearing artists across every tier of production, from the cast on stage to the crew behind the scenes.
Project Collaboration & Production Snapshot
| Project Element | Partner / Detail | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Core Creators | Jamie Rea and Cora | Adapted their pandemic-era short film, The Singer, into a full-length stage show. |
| Music Composition | KT Tunstall | Brings personal experience with hearing loss and her early days as a Glasgow busker to the score. |
| Theatrical Partners | Solar Bear, Aberdeen Performing Arts, Dundee Rep | Ensures integration of deaf and hearing cast and crew within the Scottish theatre ecosystem. |
| Festival Context | Edinburgh Festival Fringe | Marks Tunstall’s return to the festival 30 years after her initial appearances. |
As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe approaches, anticipation is building for a project that blends musical talent with community representation.
