Introducing OILCAN - The Musical! by Lisa Campbell

This year, the development stage of an exciting new Scottish musical has been unfolding across the whole nation.  

OILCAN is a bold and innovative, fully sung musical, blending contemporary poetic rap with traditional Scottish storytelling & airs. It explores themes of power, identity, and community leadership, and will be ready for the stage in 2026.

The original idea was sparked about two years ago by published poet and writer Anne Sikking, who on the search for a playwright, met for coffee with Stravaig Theatre’s Scott Kames and pitched him the idea. Passionate about community arts, Scott was wholeheartedly on board, and the pair have been working together ever since. Storytelling-songwriter Spencer Mason was next to join the project and this Summer, the three of them have toured the country on the hunt for their writing team.

At each stop, they’ve hosted a series of workshops blending playwriting, songwriting, and performance, introducing the key skills behind musical theatre writing. The musical aims to amplify unheard voices and tell the tales of communities facing political and social challenge, so everyone that attends a workshop will have the opportunity to contribute their work to the project and the chance to be invited onto the team. Since starting the workshopping stage,

it’s become clear that the events not only hone artistic skills, but also foster a sense of community among participants, so the principles at the heart of OILCAN’s message are already live in action.

“Loved every moment. Felt very much a part of the journey”

– Edinburgh Workshop participant.

“10/10 experience - positive atmosphere, brilliant games and work, including

our songwriting work with Spencer. Funny, humourous and collaborative

space.”

– Dundee Workshop participant

So far, OILCAN has visited Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Jedburgh, and the Isle of Lewis, with every one of the groups offering up thoughts and works that have inspired the team. Many of the pieces have been kept in an archive of Scott’s compilation, so once the series of feeder workshops has been wrapped up and the core writing team selected, it can be dipped into and referred to for ideas and inspiration while working on the main body of the musical, as well as being used verbatim – making this a truly community written musical.

Although the contributions have reflected notions as individual as every town and city visited, one common thread evident at every stop, is the excitement and understanding that this is something original, something special, and something for the people.

Though the coming phases of development won’t be as public facing, you can still look out for OILCAN as it continues to grow collaboratively, to expand with the hearts and efforts of every artist involved, and to emerge from the writing rooms, bold, bright, and ready to make a change.

We’ll see you on the journey.