Sunrise

by Jessie Cave

Dating again after a complex break-up, Jessie is trying to get her personal life in order – before her kids wake up. From actress, comedian, writer and doodler Jessie Cave, Sunrise is an honest, tender-hearted and uproariously funny story about crying in the woods, sexual accidents, Harry Potter conventions and Instagram espionage – but also about motherhood and trying to get stuff done. This published edition also includes dozens of full-colour, never-before-seen doodles by Jessie. She's very happy to (over)share it with you. Sunrise was performed as a critically acclaimed live show at Soho Theatre, London, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and on tour around the UK, and was produced by Soho Theatre. 'Devastatingly honest, wickedly funny… Sunrise pitches us right into Cave's life, and her head' - Guardian 'An exquisite show from one of the more creative minds in comedy today… It is painfully funny, hilariously sad and makes oversharing a thing of comic genius. There is no corner of Jessie's life into which her blindingly honest comic light does not shine' - Scotsman 'An emotionally raw hour of confessional comedy that is unstoppably amusing as well as compellingly complex… crammed full of telling details that are amusing, or painful, or more likely both at once, this is comic storytelling of the highest order' - The Times 'Not everyone can make heartbreak this entertaining… it's the little details that make this so special – revealing all the things she's secretly thinking, while we either empathise or wince in recognition. So open, so honest, so inspirational' - ThreeWeeks

Genres: Plays, Nonfiction, Memoir

80 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2019

About the author

Jessie Cave is an English actress, comedian, writer and artist, best known for her role as Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter series.

Reviews

[Violet Metta · Rating 5 out of 5]

If i could give this more than five stars i would. i wish i could have seen this live—- it is absolutely hilarious and phenomenal and not just because i am madly in love with jessie cave.

[Alicia Ingram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I finished this having drunk a glass of wine, but I ended up so emotionally invested in this little book/play. Always been a big fan of Jessie and I'm gutted to have missed her show, this is so funny, honest and beautiful!

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally adored this! I read it in one sitting. Jessie Cave has such an enjoyable and funny narrative voice, her wit is sharp and she’s brutally, heartbreakingly honest. Such a brilliant read.

[Indy Scarletti (paperindy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sunrise was a fun and slightly manic short play about dating as a single mother, co-parenting and break-ups (well, mostly just the one). If you like Jessie’s doodles online you will enjoy this, the book is peppered with little illustrations and the play shares many of the vulnerable and slightly bizarre confessions that her doodles do.

There is something completely unapologetic about Jessie’s comedy and writing, she does not shy away from mixing all of it together, the good, the bad and the ugly. It is endearing and relatable and a joy to read.

*cw: rape*

I took a star off for an out of the blue drop of a rape Jessie experienced at age 15. She makes the point that it hasn’t had a huge impact on her life, and it is just “4 pages out of 70”. But I think it is dropped in too casually, and I would be curious to know how it was presented in the live show, where I think setting a tone of sensitivity might have been easier.

But overall this was great, and I’d like to read more of Jessie’s work in the future. It is quirky, unique, and honest.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg. This said so much to my soul. I’m reading it in public so I had to bite back tears. Aren’t break ups the absolutely worse, such a lonely feeling that anyone who’s had anything similar understands ?
Really insightful to see the added torture of having children with it
My heart

[Claire Hardwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

saw that jessie cave’s one woman show was published in book form!! i’ve loved following her work and this was no exception... hope to see her perform live someday

[Faye Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally manic, raw, gorgeous and true

[Laura Angell · Rating 5 out of 5]

So as someone who has just recently had their heart broken, there was A LOT that I identified with in this play - particularly the longing to go out and be spontaneous but being so afraid of actually doing anything spontaneous! I would have loved to have seen this live and from the emotion just reading the play stirred in me, I'm pretty sure seeing it for real would have changed my life! I love all of the additional doodles in here - I already own an individual one but this book feels so personal and intimate, I feel like it was made just for me!

[Siena]

Such a lovely play! I had the opportunity to see it back in 2018 but I didn’t make the effort to go, and I truly regret that :’(

Jessie Cave (famously Lavender Brown from the Harry Potter films) has been a favorite of mine for a long time! During my great Harry Potter renaissance of 2013, I fell in love with her web series “Flat Whites.” She’s just got this almost painfully quirky half-cynical, half-hopeful, colorful style that really resonates with me. I highly recommend her amazing podcast with her sister Bebe, “We Can’t Talk About That Right Now”!

[Aashima Prasad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because of the doodles Jessie puts up on Instagram about love and relationships. They are sarcastic and many times, pessimistic. This play was not anything like that.
There is introspection and a ray of hope of things falling into place eventually.
She is vulnerable, gritty, honest and funny.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

You go girl!

[Jessy Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

made my heart feel jumpy and warm

[Daisy Leather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this! I've always loved Jessie's writing, her comedy sketches on YouTube, her unique POV online. She seems so wonderfully... open about her life. Funny, exceptionally personal and very moving.

ANYWAY. This was a marvellous retelling of a section of her life, which was a kind of 'tell all' with no embarrassment or reservations. And it was all SO relatable - not necessarily the life events, but her responses to them and her overthinking spiralling. That's so me! Reading it was like talking to a friend - so open and honest and personal.

It is also so witty and lovely, the quips to the audience and how she is just absolutely OWNING her life and the way that she has behaved. I can't imagine writing something so personal and performing it to the world - and the man it was about - but it is glorious that she was able to do that. LOVED IT.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to start 2019. I was initially drawn to grab this book because Jessie Cave has a wonderful instagram presence, and did not expect to find myself late for work because I was reading in my space in the parking garage. I couldn't put it down. It shows how crazy and all over the place life can be, and it also made me feel like I wasn't alone, especially when it comes to being neurotic and sometimes getting in your own way. In short, LOVED IT, and making it a bucket list item to see some of Jessie Cave's work live.

[Martin J Saxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an OK piece of drama, but I can only imagine her performing it. I don't think it's one that others will have a go at.

Basically, it is the chronicle of the stages you go through after a (fairly) serious relationship has ended, but you are still in touch - in this case because of children. The jealousy and wanting to check up on someone you should really have relegated to the bin of history.

Funny. I don't think it will be a revelation to a lot of people, maybe just a nice evening at the theatre. I am not sure it rewards reading.

[Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessie Cave is a doodler. And a comedian and writer.

Originally performed at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Sunrise is an autobiographical book about a time in Jessie's life when she was a worried, lovesick (another excellent play of hers) single mother.

It's equal parts silly and serious. Concise and charming. She worries her ex will ride off in the sunset with a new love, but also she imagines herself waving to them from the sunrise. It's a nice ride, a lovely, quick read and a nice experience.

[Gundrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've followed Cave's Instagram for years, as I love her doodles (so much so that I bought an original). I've also enjoyed episodes of her podcast. Sunrise is coherent to the humour, self-reflection and oversharing nature of these. It's simultaneously funny, sad and joyful. I suspect I would give the live performance five stars, as I imagine Cave smooths over some of the tonal switches that feel a little clunky in the text.

[Pam Kellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I imagine this is the next best thing for those of use who can't make it to see Sunrise live. The physical copy is gorgeously rendered with Jessie's doodles and footnotes that make up for not seeing her perform this in person. Brutally honest, genuine, hilarious, and relatable story about working through a breakup.

[Ashlee Peece · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed Jessie for years and only today got my hands on this book. I was immediately taken in and followed along invested in the emotional journey this entire play takes you on. I was so absorbed I finished the book in one sitting (though at 70 pages it is rather short) and look forward to seeing what else Jessie comes out with.

[✰matthew✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ve followed jessie on socials for years and read her fantastic, brilliant novel and loved it so i had to read this.

it was such a joy to read, i enjoyed the layout with all of her illustrations throughout. it was honest and funny and real and i loved the read. fyi this book is very honest, maybe a bit brutal at times.

i hope she publishes more books, i want to read them.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, unique play! I feel like I know another side of Jessie Cave - beyond Lavender, her other acting, and comedy - and deeply appreciate the honesty of this work. I read this in one enjoyable, emotional sitting and am excited to get her other book soon.

[Inês · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

This was amazing. I read it in one sitting, a night during my vacations, and I didn't imagine I would become as invested as I did. Jessie's awesome, unapolagetically weird and real, and I just want her to narrate every experience she's ever had. I wish I could have seen this performed.

[Paul Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son was in a sandpit and I found this in a charity shop as he didn’t need my help to build sandcastles. Read in a sitting. Brilliant. Sad. Funny. Truthful.

She captures what it’s like to be a parent brilliantly.

[Yasmin Halliwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think this would be a lot of fun live. Wasn't sure what I was getting into, but I did enjoy it. From the introduction I was expecting a bit more structure/obvious conclusion, felt it ended upbruptly, not entirely sure I understood the message

[Felicia Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I really appreciated about this work is how different it is from other plays. I could see why it was important to tell for the artist. To me though it didn’t feel super super compelling. I could definitely appreciate the vulnerability it took to write and perform this though!!!!

[Chloe (Paint and Butterflies Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this intelligent, witty and funny play. Jessie is open and honest about motherhood, breakups, sex and wanting it all and what that means for a woman today. 5/5 * loved it!!!

[Not Quite A Bookshop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in one sitting. Honest and funny. Jessie Cave - You go girl!!

[Ella Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong yet short book, a play that feels more like a confessional diary. Interesting read, felt close to the writer

[Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It made my heart smile!

[Jack Sargood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arguably the most human book I’ve ever read. Utterly wonderful.