Tributes are being paid to a talented, respected and award-winning playwright, poet and performer who has died.
Bosses at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester described Jackie Hagan as ‘a much-loved vibrant voice’ and said they were saddened by her passing.
Jackie, a Manchester-based artist, co-wrote the play Cosmic Scallies, which explored themes including class, friendship and absence and was set in Skelmersdale. It premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe before coming to Manchester.
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Theatre chiefs described Jackie, an amputee, as ‘a tremendous, witty, charismatic, political and vital artist’ who would be sadly missed.
The Royal Exchange posted details of her death on its X feed, formerly Twitter, on Monday. It’s understood she was 43 and passed away after an illness. Jackie was a staunch advocate of spoken word performance and also supported LGBTQ charities in Manchester.
The theatre, based on St Ann’s Square in the city centre, said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Manchester based artist, Jackie Hagan.
“Jackie wrote the brilliant Cosmic Scallies, which premiered at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017, and then here in our studio space. It was a co-commission between Graeae [the disabilities-led theatre company] and Royal Exchange Theatre.”
The theatre went on to post a quote from her taken from Cosmic Scallies, reading: “We’re cosmic scallies, we dance on the off-beat, we’re wonky shopping trollies, we’re forgotten and trod on, we’re gravy-stained and p*ss-sodden, we’re the breath between coughing fits.”
The theatre’s associate artist, Nickie Wildin, also paid tribute. She said: “Jackie was a tremendous, witty, charismatic, political and vital artist. Manchester has lost a much-loved vibrant voice.”
Jackie also won acclaim for penning a poetic comedy called Some People Have Too Many Legs – a show she toured nationally and also brought to Manchester at the Contact Theatre on Oxford Road.
Manchester poet Tony Walsh said on X: “So very sad to hear that we’ve lost the inimitable Jackie Hagan.
“A truly unique, working-class poet, playwright, philosopher, performer, speaker, activist and so much more. Funny, wise and beautiful with disco balls of steel. Jumble-sail on, dear Jackie xx.”