Owen Sutcliffe, the acclaimed hip-hop artist and writer, is bringing his latest work, Òran, to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
This thrilling piece of contemporary theatre combines spoken word, lyrical storytelling, and a pulsating electronic live score to tell the story of Òran’s journey to rescue his best friend from the Underworld.In collaboration with Wonder Fools, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and Pleasance Theatre, Sutcliffe has created a modern retelling of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus, promising an urgent and entertaining experience for audiences.
Òran will be performed at Baby Grand, Pleasance Courtyard from 31st July to 25th August (excluding 5th, 12th, and 19th). Tickets are available now.
You’re bringing Òran to Baby Grand at Pleasance Courtyard for the Edinburgh Fringe. What can you tell us about the show?
It’s a total buzz of an adventure full of shifts and turns, brought to life and vitality by Robbie Gordon’s amazing performance and Jack Nurse’s direction. I think you’ll find something of yourself in the story, something of the people you love, of a world you know, and one you don’t.
Audiences will join Òran as he navigates a path to the Deep Downstairs, teased and taunted along the way by Hades who, as ever, is up to no good. It’s a piece of work everyone on the team is really proud of, and we can’t wait for Fringe audiences to see it!
Òran combines spoken word, lyrical storytelling, and a pulsating electronic live score. How did you come up with this unique blend of elements?
It’s been a team effort! I write poetry and perform as an emcee, a hip-hop artist, and partly for that reason and partly as a nod to Orpheus’ musicality in the original myth, Òran’s voice in the script is driven by rhyme. Taking that a step further, Robbie Gordon as Òran will be controlling, performing the live score onstage – sample pad and electronic equipment instead of lyre.
This dimension was something we uncovered along the way and was an exciting discovery, adding to the dynamism (and complexity) of the performance (sorry, Robbie) as well as further referencing Orpheus.
The story of Òran is a modern retelling of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus. What inspired you to adapt this particular myth, and how have you made it relevant for contemporary audiences?
At the wedding of a mutual friend in 2022, director Jack Nurse and I discovered a shared fondness for the myth of Orpheus. It’s a love of the hero’s journey, a fascination with Underworld imagery, the tragedy of that last look… Wonder Fools were, at that time, looking to create a new show and I was commissioned to write an adaptation of the myth later that year.
Òran is a story, though, of the insidious power of mobile phones, a very present issue in the modern era. The show considers the loss of a close friend to that pull, that complex online world, and the journey one might undertake to get them back. I became fascinated with what that Underworld might look like, that Deep Downstairs of phones and social media. I suppose it’s inspired by all I’ve seen in my work as a youth worker these past few years and, of course, by my own experiences too.
This is Wonder Fools’ first production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. How has the collaboration with Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Pleasance Theatre influenced the development of Òran?
Quite simply, the platform Òran has been given at the Fringe would not be possible without these theatres’ support. Their backing, through the Edinburgh National Partnerships scheme, is really exciting and allows us to give our show the best chance of reaching as wide an audience as possible. Personally – this being my first theatre script as a writer – it’s a huge boost for me to have endorsement from Pitlochry Festival Theatre and the Pleasance Theatre, and I’ll carry that forward as confidence into future projects.
The music for Òran is composed by VanIves and performed live by Robbie Gordon. Can you share more about the process of integrating the live score with the performance?
I doff my cap completely to director Jack Nurse for this idea. Again, it’s so thematically useful that Òran is performing a bespoke score onstage but that’s a pretty high-wire act alongside what I think is quite a complex text (sorry Robbie!). It requires absolute commitment and excellence from music team VanIves, Jack in the director’s hat and actor Robbie Gordon, but has elevated the show hugely.
It’s been a fiddly process for all involved: VanIves are not only composing the score but are simultaneously dismantling it into Ikea cabinet parts that Robbie as Òran can then reassemble onstage; there’s also a huge amount of performative freedom too, meaning that the score might never be exactly the same on any two performances. Robbie has had to not only learn a script but also master technical electronic musical equipment (although he assures me the gadgets help to anchor the text…). I’m so excited to show everyone the finished article in August.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Òran?
I’d say do it. Come and see it. We’re in a great location (Baby Grand, Pleasance Courtyard) at a great time of day (3.15pm) and can fill your afternoon slot nicely. I’m really proud of Òran, of what I’ve written and what it’s become in the hands of an incredible team and I’d love to show it to as many people as possible. Do it mate. I’m keen to know what you think.
