Every night, The Old Red Lion Pub in Islington is transformed. In the pub theatre, British singer-songwriter Collette Cooper invites us into the world of American music legend Janis Joplin. With live music from TSP and a complimentary Southern Comfort cocktail for every audience member, Tomorrow May Be My Last sees Cooper tackle Joplin’s music and share the rollercoaster story of her life. After each show, the rest of the pub joins the party, with the whole space taking on the feel of 1960s Woodstock.

As a performer, Cooper was repeatedly likened to Joplin, though she knew very little about the rock star’s life. The comparisons sparked an intense process of research that then saw Cooper write and direct herself in a show about Joplin - including the way Joplin found fame, her struggles with drugs and alcohol, and the joy she found in music. Midway through the run of Tomorrow May Be My Last, Cooper now says of Joplin, ‘I feel I know her as much as I know myself.’

Run Riot: What's your relationship with Joplin and her music?

Collette Cooper: A close one. After these last few years of playing portraying her, I feel I know her very well.

Run Riot: Why did you want to create a show about her?

Collette Cooper: My performance has been likened to hers over the years which I found unusual as she was never one of my musical influences. In fact, I didn't know much about her. I always wanted to combine my acting and music/singing, and after lots of research on her, I realised we did have quite a lot in common, including musical influences such as Bessie Smith. I could see the likenesses between us and I felt it was a story I could tell well.

Run Riot: She is one of a kind. How do you embody such an icon on stage?

Collette Cooper: That’s a very good question! I'm really not sure to be honest. As an actor, playing a factual person, you never want to impersonate but to interpret. I guess I draw on our likenesses and I've done so much research on her over these last few years. I feel I know her as much as I know myself.

We naturally both have similar voices in the sense that they are powerful and husky, but I had to physically change for the role. Grow my hair, put on a few pounds, because Janis was a lovely, voluptuous character, whereas I'm quite skinny. So once you get the physical, then you delve into the emotional side.

Run Riot: Do you use her actual songs or original music - or is it a bit of a mixture?

Collette Cooper: We use all of her greatest hits and we have an original song, the title song which is about her, performed and written in her style.

Run Riot: Tell me about your brilliant band, TSP.

Collette Cooper: They are brilliant! First class musicians. They have been on board the project practically from the beginning.

Run Riot: I'd love to know more about the whole pub takeover. How do you create the feel of Woodstock in London?

Collette Cooper: The audience are on such a buzz after the play that we wanted to continue a festival vibe post-show downstairs in the pub. It's going great! We have amazing artists performing after the play in the style of 1960s Woodstock. We have Savannah Gardner, a star from America, who is a Country/Folk singer and one of my ultimate favourite singers! She’s brilliant! And Matt Willis who's from here in the UK, an incredible blues singer - again, he's become one of my favourite singers. Then we have a big blues band called Bourbon Street Revival who are incredible! Their energy and vibe is just amazing! Love them! My favourite blues band!

Run Riot: For those who aren't intimately familiar with Joplin's work, where would you say is the best place to start? 

Collette Cooper: I guess the internet, YouTube, Spotify and Apple etc, and I would definitely advise to buy her vinyls. There are lots of books on her out there too.

Run Riot: Do you have a favourite bit of the show to perform?

Collette Cooper: I like it all. I'm loving conveying Janis's story and I do really enjoy the interaction with the audience. That’s a lot of fun and the audiences have been incredible! 

Run Riot: Is there anything else we should know?

Collette Cooper: You don't need to be a fan or even know Janis Joplin to enjoy the show. We've had many an audience who had never heard of her before and loved the show, and since then become fans of her and her music.

Tomorrow May Be My Last plays until 6th May 2023. To find out more and book tickets click here.

To learn more about Collette, please head to her website here.