Nightlife gatecrash, raucous cabaret and musical extravaganza; 0800 CUPID is a genre-defying queer countercultural opus from THISISPOPBABY that fizzes between performance and reality.
In 0800 CUPID, Cork-born cabaret star, writer, house music vocalist and actor Emer Dineen teams up with award-winning playwright and director Phillip McMahon to create a form busting, epic and unforgettable musical odyssey through a couple of very strange years in Emer’s life. Through her drag persona, crumbling club-kid ‘Cupid’, Dineen grapples with love in a lonely capitalist paradigm. Hungover, moulting and disorientated, our redundant deity battles modern life, unravelling Emer’s true story of navigating loss, crises, chaotic relationships and feeling the sweet sting of meaningful connection where she least expects it.
0800 CUPID is an SOS (emergency) response to the swelling social anxiety of a post-pandemic pre-apocalyptic world, a camp catalyst for reconnection. It’s a musical march into and back from an existential brink.
Produced by the multi-award-winning theatre company THISISPOPBABY, 0800 CUPID premiered at Dublin Theatre Festival 2024 with a sold out run, named by The Examiner as the highlight of the festival. Immediately afterwards it transferred to Soho Theatre in London, receiving rapturous audience and critical response in both cities, with five star reviews across the board. Audiences have described 0800 CUPID as incredible, unmissable, riotous, virtuosic, life-affirming and perfect.
Text, Composition and Lyrics Emer Dineen
Directed and Developed by Phillip McMahon
Co-Composer and Musical Director Tom Beech
Music Producer Elaine Mai
Choreographer Carl Harrison
Lighting Design Sarah Jane Shiels
Set Design Ellen Kirk
Costume Design Lambdog1066
Images Eoin Greally and Niall Sweeney
Performers Emer Dineen, Isabel Adomakoh Young, Carl Harrison, Tom Beech (keys), Michael McCarthy (drums), Osazee Aiguokhian (bass)
Produced by Daniel Culleton & Carla Rogers
0800 Cupid was developed with the support of Cork Midsummer Festival's Jane Anne Rothwell Award 2022.
