A radical mis-remembering of Nirvana's iconic 1993 MTV Unplugged concert, blending theatre and grunge to explore identity and self-expression.
No Apologies plays at The Old Market on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August, with both nights starting at 20:00 and doors opening at 19:15. It's a two-night run, and if you're coming on the Friday, there's a post-show discussion with Everett True (Dr Jerry Thackray) to follow.
The show is a radical mis-remembering of Nirvana's 1993 MTV Unplugged concert, a collision of theatre and grunge, autobiography and alternate history staged with a six-piece live tribute band. Writer and performer Emma Frankland channels Kurt Cobain's voice, and the production widens into a personal, multi-layered comedy that pushes back against the pressure to mould ourselves into images acceptable to society, highlighting the danger of not being able to live as our full, vibrant selves.
It pulls in reinterpretations of mythology, personal stories, the nostalgia of growing up in the nineties, the power of grunge and an exploration of Cobain's relationship with gender, inspired by internet discourse that's been circulating for years. The production follows a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Festival in 2025, where it won the Bragi Award for creativity and artistic excellence and a Besties Award for new writing.
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Both performances are captioned, and audio described introductory notes are available. It's for ages 16 and over only. Tickets are £16, concessions £13, plus a £2 venue levy, and you can find them at theoldmarket.com.
Header image credit: Kaleidoshoots
