About Ivor
Born in 1923, Ivor Cutler was a unique man from Govan and famed for songs/lyrics such as Women of the World and I Believe in Bugs. A poet, humourist, environmentalist, musician, teacher, singer/songwriter and artist, his humble humanity urges us to care about each other and Scotland’s natural environment. He invites special relationships with quirky animals and brings unexpected perspective to everyday situations and achieving a long lasting cult following.
Why do I connect with Ivor?
I’m really attracted by the nature of ‘profound playfulness’ at the core of Ivor’s songs and poems. I think we all need to reconnect with our inner child in this way and in a way playfulness is the same as creativity – its all about trying things out. I think Cutler’s charm also reveals a kind of humble stoicism that resonates loudly with themes of resilience, sustainability and wellbeing.
Growing up he was my first introduction to ‘traditional’ Scottish music. And one of my favourite songs of his is the very first single I properly released – I Worn My Elbows. I also sang I Worn My Elbows song for the final of the Young Traditional Musician of the Year alongside a term I coined (and hope catches on)…’elbowography’.
About the show: Ivory Cutlery
It is a 50-minute visual, musical storytelling performance, inspired by iconic Scottish artist Ivor Cutler. I’ll be performing in the mediums of singing, BSL signed song, movement, physical theatre, contemporary dance and Scottish step dance.
It’s a show for family and adult audiences, tempting adults to reconnect with their uninhibited wilder childhood imaginations. A Scottish celebration of being playfully present through the beauty of the mundane, it reflects Cutler’s art and brings contemporary spirit, tone and essence to support the sharing of his ‘traditional’ songs.
The Artist Process
Whilst missing out on British Sign Language until adulthood, I’m increasingly growing my ability to find my own voice personally and artistically. This project has allowed me to become more playful with BSL signed songs and with self-expression. Some of Ivor’s songs are abstract, and some are very literal and some are both, so there is a sense of freedom in deciding what approach to take for each song. I’ve also been enjoying exploring body percussion, step dance and contemporary dance woven into the signed songs. Switching from hands to feet – switching from language and storytelling with my hands to rhythmic body percussion. Sometimes it’s chaos and confusion but a bit of that suits Ivor’s style as well as reflecting D/deaf experience.
Who is this show for?
It’s important to note that this show is not just for d/Deaf community but for HoH and hearing people equally. It will be performed in English and SSE and BSL. There will be an interpreter and a performer. There will be some captions but not for some of the visual communication.
Dates for Fringe Performances
Venue: Deaf Action – 49 Albany Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3QY
Date: 08/08/25, 15/08/25 – 17/08/25
Time: 6:30m (Fri), 4:30pm (Fri), 4:30pm (Sat), 4:30pm (Sun)
Duration: 50 minutes
Room: Blackwood Bar
Venue: Summerhall – 1, Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1PL
Date: 09/08/25
Time: 5:30pm (Sat)
Duration: 50 minutes
Room: Dissection Room
Where I would like to take the show next
This show is set to evolve into a different iteration by bringing in a fantastic box player I’ve been working with on Ivor’s material, as well as another physical performer for further ‘playful’ possibilities with a view to touring across Scotland.
Evie Waddell is a Gaelic and Scots singer, fiddler, and visual musical performer from Stirlingshire. Her proficiency in Gaelic come from her Gaelic-medium education, and she is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with a BMus in Traditional Music. Her work draws influence from Jo Miller, Ivor Cutler, Martyn Bennett, Lisa O’Neill, and Rhiannon Giddens.
Evie’s performance style blends music with movement, including contemporary dance, Scottish traditional step dance, and British Sign Language (BSL). She performed with WHYTE in Theatre Gu Leòr’s production MAIM (2020) and went on to create and tour her own BSL-integrated show Fàilte Gu BSL (2022-23). She won the Danny Kyle Open Stage at Celtic Connections in 2023, was a semi-finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician award 2024, and released the visual EP Cluich! in February 2024 following her debut EP Leviathan in December 2022. She is currently managed by The Bothy Society.
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📷 Photos of Evie Waddell by Elly Lucas
