ABOUT BLACK LIVER

Black Liver are Ruth Cockburn (Blackpool) and Keith Carter (Liverpool) — an award-winning touring theatre company making bold, funny and deeply human work that blends music, comedy, storytelling and community.

Ruth is a critically acclaimed writer and performer whose solo show Love Letters From Blackpool was commissioned by the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester and toured the UK. Her poetry collection Miss Nobodies was taken by the British Library. Her plays have been performed at Edinburgh Fringe, Sydney's Short & Sweet Festival, Buxton Fringe and beyond — with one picked up by an Australian theatre company and performed internationally. She is a semi-finalist of both Funny Women and So You Think You're Funny, and a familiar face on the UK comedy circuit.

Keith is a comic actor, writer and musician — best known for creating Nige, the BBC-broadcast character cited by Sir Jeremy Isaacs as instrumental in Liverpool's successful 2007 Capital of Culture bid. His broadcast credits include BBC Two, BBC Three, Channel 4, ITV and BBC Radio. He is a former Liverpool Echo Comedian of the Year and North West Breakthrough Comedian of the Year, with Edinburgh Fringe appearances and a Guardian-reviewed film performance to his name.

Put them together and you get Black Liver.

Since forming in 2021, Black Liver have built a reputation for creating full evenings of entertainment that audiences don't forget. Their shows — Miss Nobodies, Support Your Local Library! and Devilled Eggs — have played to sell-out audiences across the UK, blending laughter, live music, storytelling and the kind of audience participation that makes strangers feel like old friends by the final song.

They write and perform for broadcast. Their BBC Radio 4 comedy Where To Mate? won BBC Radio 4's Best Sitcom Award — and their BBC Radio 4 Audio Drama Where To Mate? earned them the BBC Radio 4 Audio Drama Award. They have appeared on Sky TV and BBC One.

Their Arts Council England–funded show Devilled Eggs was developed in partnership with Showtown Museum Blackpool, Lancashire Archives and Blackpool Grand Theatre. Their collaborative work helped Blackpool Grand Theatre win the Children & Young People Now Theatre Award 2024. They have been nominated for Best Theatre Production at Buxton Festival (2022) and Best Comedy Show (2023).

Beyond the stage, Black Liver run a youth confidence workshop programme in Blackpool — using performance to help young people find their voice — an extension of everything they believe about the power of storytelling to change how people see themselves.

"One of the most talented, original and creative theatre teams to come out of Lancashire." — Spot On Lancashire

"Part music duo, part double act — Black Liver are that quirky couple you want as your best friends." — Somerset Press

"Seemingly silly but with jabs of social critique throughout." — Glastonbury Press

"Amazing stories and wily lyrics." — Liverpool Theatre Fest

"She's a real talent." — Broadway Baby (on Ruth)

"Plain and simple... she's just funny." — Terry Alderton (on Ruth)

Supported by Arts Council England · Blackpool Grand Theatre · Showtown Museum Blackpool · Theatre by the Lake · Lancashire Archives

As heard on BBC Radio 4 · As seen on Sky TV & BBC One

CLICK HERE ON KEITH’S FACE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HIM