DARKUS SPECIAL EDITION 2022: COLLETTE COOPER

SPECIAL EDITION

AUGUST 2022

COLLETTE COOPER THE ULTIMATE JAZZ, BLUES & SOUL DIVA

SPECIAL EDITION: COLLETTE COOPER

EDITORIAL NOTE Regarded as the ultimate jazz, blues and soul diva, this special edition focuses on the work of the exceptionally talented Collette who is from Manchester with Irish heritage and lives in London. Other than being an actress, Collette also has a deep love of music having released a number of brilliant bodies of work including her latest album, Lost.

This summer, having worked hard behind the scenes with partner Mike Hanson, Collette was the driving force behind the award nominated production Tomorrow May Be Your Last which she not only co-wrote and directed but also starred in as the lead role playing iconic American singer, Janis Jopiin.

We welcome you therefore to join us as we explore and celebrate just some of the creative talents of the one and only Collette Cooper

CREDITS Editor In Chief Stylist Photography Hair Beauty Thank You To

Thushara S Chandrasiri Stevie B Blake Ezra Sophie Sugarman Brooke Simons Collette Cooper, Mike Hanson, Deli Studios, Ollie Raphael, and Ed Moris

THANK YOU TO LAYTON WILLIAMS & MULTIMEDIA PR WWW.DARKUSMAGAZINE.COM - INSTAGRAM: @DARKUSMAGAZINE

Q&A WITH COLLETTE COOPER Having written and produced the popular play, Tomorrow May Be My Last, Actress and musician Colette Cooper gives us a special insight into what it has been like stepping into the shoes of American singer, Janis Joplin.

Collette, my friend, a huge honour and privilege to welcome you to DARKUS. How has your week been so far?

It’s a privilege to be here with you, Thushara, who’s one of my favourite humans on the planet. It’s been a very busy week with rehearsals for our play and voicing a children’s book called “The Heavy Bag” by the brilliant Sarah Surgey produced by Pod People Productions for Audible with all proceeds going to DEC Appeal for the children of Ukraine.

We have so much to talk about, I am spoilt for choice for where we even begin but let’s maybe rewind a little to the early years of Collette Cooper and finding your way in the world. What were some of your things which captured your attention and made you think ‘Right this is the dream I have for my own life?’

I was always a clown growing up and wanted to make people laugh, I was always singing and dancing around the house as a kid. I knew from an early age I wanted to act and sing. My dad brought me up on excellent music, lots of Jazz and blues. He introduced me to great artists who influenced me such as Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and more. My dad bought me a piano keyboard for my 9th birthday which fueled my musical thirst.

At what point did it feel that you found your voice in the world and felt comfortable within your own skin?

I always had a very deep and loud voice as a youngster, and it was quite unusual, so I guess I just went with it. I’ve always felt comfortable in my own skin. I’ve always had the attitude of “I don’t give a fuck” ☺ I run by my own heartbeat, another thing my dad taught me. I just like doing my own thing and hate to be put into a box.

It was Record Store Day not so long ago and many independent record stores including the likes of Rough Trade stocked some of your great vinyl records such as Lost Soul and Perfect God. As an artist what is it like knowing that someone out there is picking up a Collette Cooper and investing in you and your music for the first time?

It’s very nice feeling actually, especially with my latest album “Lost” because all the profits go to the Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity which I’m a very proud ambassador for. It’s really nice to receive messages from people saying how much they like my music and how it resonates with them. Yeh, it’s good. It’s always good to make other people feel good, whichever way you can do that whether through art or a simple smile on the street. It’s a good thing.

Fast forward to the coming months, some very exciting news to hear that you will be playing the lead role of Janis Joplin in the play Tomorrow May Be My Last, which will be shown exclusively at Old Red Lion Théâtre late May onwards. How has preparation been going like as it gets closer and closer?

It’s been tough at times, quite stressful and bloody hard work putting a play together but good too. I wrote this play early 2019 pre-pandemic and we had the read through in March 2020 just before the lockdown hit us. We did manage to perform it last year at The Union Theatre to a legal half-the-capacity audience, wearing masks. It’s been a great project to do but very hard graft. Producing it, alongside my brilliant partner Mike Hanson and I’m directing the production too and Mike and lead guitarist Jack Parry are the musical directors. Last year at The Union Theatre, I had my friend, Niall to co-direct with me but this year I decided to fully direct it myself as Niall wasn’t available and we proudly premiered it at The Old Red Lion Theatre. I think this is the final product now. It's been through a lot of changes since last year, lots of re-writes and re-thinking with lots of new ideas. I think people really enjoyed it.

It’s always good to make other people feel good, whichever way you can do that whether through art or a simple smile on the street. It’s a good thing.

"I try and count my blessings every day. Gratitude is important to me. It’s been such a crazy time for everyone so I’m so grateful for all the wonderful things that come my way"

A lot of sweat, blood and tears has gone into it. And we have formed a great partnership with Southern Comfort, which was Janis’ favourite tipple, so there’s complimentary Southern Comfort for everyone every night as part of the immersive experience, and not to mention our live band are phenomenal.

When you looked at Janis’s life, what were some of the things which stood out the most, and were there any personality traits that really resonated with you?

Definitely, it’s uncanny how alike we are! Other than having similar, low husky voices, we share the same love for Bessie Smith. I also, felt like a misfit at times. I was chucked out of the choir when I was a kid because my voice stood out too much, she was also chucked out of the choir. I didn’t know much about Janis before I took on the job to write the play about her.

In between all of the preparation for the new play, I also have to say even as a friend just how much you inspire me. For instance a few weeks back you were the very first artists to be part of a special line up to be part of a showcase which raised funds and showed solidarity as part of the on-going Ukrainian crisis. To be part of something so unifying and powerful - what did it mean to you?

When you think of all the fantastic things you are part of in 2022, does it feel like this is your year?

I try and count my blessings every day. Gratitude is important to me. It’s been such a crazy time for everyone so I’m so grateful for all the wonderful things that come my way and for my family, friends, ya know wonderful friends like you and more than ever my partner Mike and my doggie Billy, that’s what I care about the most, that’s what’s important to me. I’m grateful for them.

So for the live lounge we asked if you could treat us and our viewers to some of your incredible songs.

Tell us a little bit about the song(s) you have chosen and what they mean to you?

“Don’t Throw Your Love A Way” from my album Lost. It’s about love, heartache and loss which most people can relate to in life. The second one is “Tomorrow May Be My Last” which is the title track from the play which Mike and I wrote about Janis Joplin.

I wish we could sit here and talk all day because there is so much more we can explore, but we shall save that for another day. It has been a pleasure taking this opportunity to reflect with you. I wish you all the very best for the road ahead.

Will you come back and see us again?

It meant everything! I believe as artists we need to exercise our talents for good use. Like everyone, I couldn’t stop reading about it and was feeling more and more helpless, I desperately wanted to do something to help and then I was asked to do Night For Ukraine, alongside Chrissie Hynde, Bob Geldof, Imelda May and many more amazing humans who all gave their free time and energy to create such an epic, historical night raising thousands of pounds for the DEC Appeal. I’m really proud to have been a part of that and happy we have helped in some way.

I LOVE you! It’s always a pleasure being in your company, Thushara, and of course I’d love to come back and can’t wait to meet up again soon.

A huge thank you to the one and only Collette Cooper.

Be sure you get yourselves to her upcoming play Tomorrow May Be My Last which takes place between the 24th May - 11th June 2022 at Old Red Lion Theatre in Central London. Angel/Islington

TOMORROW MAY BE MY LAST OLD RED LION THEATRE (ANGEL, LONDON) - 27TH MAY 2022 On 27th May 2022, I was honored to attend Press Night for the production of Tomorrow May Be My Last at Old Red Lion Theatre in Angel, London. Written and directed by actor and soul, jazz and blues diva, Collette Cooper, the play looks into the life of American singer, Janis Joplin, who was the first and best leading female rock stars of her time, and also whose music went on to influence many more generations.

Greeted with the most generous goody bag I have ever seen consisting of vouches, herbal tea, make up, t-shirts, a CD of the single ‘Tomorrow May Be My Last’, and even a generous bottle of Southern Comfort (one of the official sponsors of the show), I found was quite touching act of kindness, and on that alone Collette Cooper’s kind heart to make people smile gets extra bonus points from me!

To the play itself then. Janis, from Port Arthur in Texas, was never a popular kid at school growing up, and on countless occasions was even subject to bullying as a young teen; however what gave her the strength when she needed it the most was her love for music, drawing inspiration from the likes of other iconic names in music such as Bessie Smith.

Although music was the one constant that Janis could always rely on when times felt tough, behind closed doors life was far from easy for the young woman.

Collette, who takes on the role of Janis herself, does a formidable job bringing such a powerful and in many instances, poignant story to life, which looking around at my fellow audience members has really captured their full attention as they are given a snap shot of just some of the highs, lows, wins and obstacles of Janis’ quest to make a life for herself, an independent young woman standing on her two feet not reliant on anyone but herself.

Whenever playing to a live crowd, at the likes of Woodstock or any other public event, Janis continued to draw people in as she was feeding off the energy and you could say she was truly in her element. Collette does an incredible job of channeling Janis’ personality, which only helps you to resonate with the narrative even more.

Off stage, and away from the screaming fans and the growing fame, there are some other more sad elements and demons that Janis had to deal with on a daily basis ranging from the constant intrusive memories of being called fat and ugly in her youth, to being reliant on alcohol and a little bit too much of that green acid.

Watching Tomorrow May Be My Last, I am impressed at just how Collette is able to transport us all in to Janis’ mind where it is as though we are close to as can be understanding what Janis’ daily internal monologue sounded like and to see what life was really like for her through the view point of her own mind.

As hard hitting and harrowing as the show may have been, there were also some other more light hearted moments in the play, which added plenty of humour, laugher and crowd participation, making it much more of an immersive play where the audience are as much part of the narrative as Janis.

Collette made sure to ensure everyone was having a good time, interacting with different members (in the words of Janis ‘man, woman, aliens’ ha ha) and even managed to get everyone on their feet dancing - myself included!

There were so many different elements to Janis’ life that it was never going to be easy putting them all into one show, but Collette Cooper was able to at least give us all a snapshot of her life, elevated even more with the inclusion of the original historic footage and stills from news stories and bulletins from when Janis was still with us.

The play comes to a close with the news of Janis Joplin being found dead in her hotel room on the 4th October 1970 at the age of 27. She had so much to give this world, but her death serves as a sad reminder how the weight of her demons was just too much to endure. Before seeing this show, I knew of Janis but did not really know much about her life; but having had the opportunity to see the play it has made me appreciate her even more.

I am sure we can all resonate with different parts of Janis’ life, especially when we look beyond the surface, and having been able to watch Tomorrow May Be My Last with my own eyes, it is easy to see why this show has had all the positive praise and award nominations it has received thus far.

REVIEW BY THUSHARA S. CHANDRASIRI PHOTOS BY ROBIN POPE

2022 SPECIAL EDITION

FEATURING

COLLETTE COOPER

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