9.39°C 
A coming-of-age play combining live music, sibling rivalry and working-class humour comes to Colchester Arts Centre on Wednesday 18th November, following award-winning performances at the Edinburgh and Dublin Fringe festivals.
Written and co-directed by Gina Donnelly, Anthem for Dissatisfaction tells the story of brother and sister Jamie and Sarah as they grow up in Belfast during the financial crisis of 2007, with music providing the soundtrack to their lives.
From their childhood years sharing a bedroom to the uncertainties of adulthood, the play charts their experiences of family pressures, financial hardship and hopes for the future.
Sarah is 11 months and four days older than Jamie, a fact that apparently makes her smarter, cooler and right about everything. Jamie, meanwhile, has little patience, even less tact and absolutely no filter.
Their shared love of music runs throughout the story, with songs by Oasis, The Jam, Thin Lizzy, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender and others reflecting the frustrations and aspirations of a generation growing up against a backdrop of austerity and political uncertainty.
The story moves between the financial pressures of their childhood and the cost-of-living challenges of 2023, as Sarah and Jamie find themselves facing some familiar problems at a very different stage of their lives.
Although the play tackles poverty, loss and grief, humour remains central to the production, alongside the music that has helped shape the siblings’ relationship.
Co-director Tony Devlin describes the play as an expression of working-class frustration with a system that makes it difficult for people to succeed, while celebrating two characters whose struggles and ambitions audiences can recognise.
Produced by SkelpieLimmer and Brassneck Theatre Company, Anthem for Dissatisfaction stars Emily Lamey and Simon Sweeney. The production enjoyed award-winning success at the Edinburgh and Dublin Fringe festivals in 2025 and is now touring venues across England.
Anthem for Dissatisfaction is at Colchester Arts Centre on Wednesday 18th November at 8pm. The performance runs for approximately 65 minutes and is recommended for ages 14 and over. Pay what you can afford tickets are available through the Colchester Arts Centre website.
