MISS NOBODIES

A touring theatre show by Black Liver

Miss Nobodies was originally commissioned by Spot On Lancashire to celebrate the work of Ethel Carnie Holdsworth and the women of Great Harwood. Premiering at Great Harwood Library in 2021, the show has been touring ever since.

About the show

You’re standing in an ironmonger’s shop in Britain in 1919.
Look again — and a century passes before your eyes.

Through stories, songs, sketches and verse, Ruth Cockburn and Keith Carter take audiences on a whirlwind journey through 100 years of British life: from the talkies of the 1920s to the video nasties of the 1980s, skiffle in the ’50s, Britpop in the ’90s, class struggle in the ’60s and racial tension in the ’70s — all played out in one Lancashire shop.

Playing a cast of characters both tragic and comic (and occasionally animal), the pair weave humour, poignancy and music into a show that will have you laughing, crying, singing — and even competing for a prize in the interval.

The story

This funny, heart-warming two-hander charts the last 100 years through the lives of the women who pass through — and shape — the shop. Inspired by community outreach and local history research, Miss Nobodies brings overlooked stories to the fore, asking how women’s lives have changed over the last century… and what the next 100 years might hold.

At the heart of the show is Ethel Carnie Holdsworth — mill worker, poet and campaigner — cited as the UK’s first working-class female novelist. Her poetry punctuates the performance, grounding the show in real voices and lived experience.

The result is a moving, accessible piece of theatre that resonates across generations and places local stories centre stage.

About Black Liver

Black Liver — heard on BBC Radio 4, seen on BBC One and Sky TV, and toured internationally — bring their distinctive blend of comedy, music and storytelling to connect audiences with history, community and each other.

Praise

Nominated for Best New Show 2022 – Buxton Fringe
‘Iconic’ – Forgotten Arts Festival
‘Highly Recommended’ – Buxton Fringe

Audience reactions

“Miss Nobodies – ordinary women living extraordinary lives, superbly told. A privilege to have seen this performance.”

“A humorous and emotive journey through the familiar history of any Lancashire small-town girl.”

“A wonderful breath of fresh air. Beautiful storytelling with humour woven throughout.”