You go to a club to watch some drag. The music is great. The performances are on point, the booze is flowing freely and the room is filled with laughter. Someone says something stupid. Possibly homophobic. Possibly sexist. Do you challenge them?
‘An attitude of collectiveness and comfort that few companies achieve’ – The Skinny
Part drag, part cabaret and part theatre, Jock Tamson’s Bairns is an immersive show where the audience is transported to an after hours gay bar and invited to speak their mind. No topic is taboo, but a respect for your fellow humans is compulsory.
“Once upon a time there was a tiny town, in a tiny country with a rich and diverse history spanning thousands and thousands of years. In that town there was a tiny bar, named after a character that Bette Midler played in a film from the 1980s. Unbeknownst to the owners of that bar, this safe haven for the freaks, geeks and uniques of the community would become the nucleus of a queer civil rights movement, spreading compassion like ripples on the water from CC Blooms and out into the world.”
The rules for Jock Tamson’s Bairns are simple.
Decide when you arrive if you want to see the show or be the show.
Listen.
Learn.
Engage.
Just don’t be a dick.
Jock Tamson’s Bairns debuted during LGBT History Month 2019 with a seven date tour across Scotland. It was later funded for development by Creative Scotland and presented as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019. People loved it. Industry booked it. We were about to embark on another tour, this time with global dates…then that thing happened, and it all went to shit.
‘consistently powerful’ – The List
In 2026, I’m planning to revive Jock Tamson’s Bairns and hopefully pull back some of the momentum Covid destroyed. I’m keen to hear from potential collaborators for this project, and of course, venue programmers.
Email barry@wearecivildisobedience.com for a tour pack or access to our three-camera archival of the show.
BCW 