Quarter Life Crisis

Yolanda Mercy

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781786823564
• eBook ISBN: 9781786823571
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Discrimination & Race Relations
• Index: Social Sciences

What does it mean to be an adult and when do you become one? Alicia is a hot mess. She doesn't know what she's doing with her life. Swiping left, swiping right to find the perfect match. Even though she's a Londoner, born and bred, the scent of Lagos peppers her existence in 'the ends'. Everyone around her seems to know where they're going in life, but she's just trying to find ways to cheat growing up and keep her 16-25 railcard. This funny and well-observed one-woman show explores the contradictions faced by young people when the markers of 'growing up - having a career, a relationship and independence - are difficult to achieve. It also offers insight into life as a second generation migrant living in London, and highlights issues such asimmigration, race and the expectations placed on young women today. Quarter Life Crisis had its full production premiere at The Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, where it was described by The Stage as a"vibrant storytelling show about life as a young black Londoner".

PRE SHOW

The show begins as soon as the audience walk through the door. Even the Front of House team are part of this experience, wearing plain white T-shirts with ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ written in clean bold black font.

The atmosphere is upbeat and very interactive, as if you have just stepped into a party organised by Skepta and Drake. Within the space there are a series of things for the audience to interact with, buy or do. This should range from (but not be limited to):

• An Instagram style picture frame with #QuarterLifeCrisis written on the bottom for audience members to take pictures with

• A board for audience members to write a response to ‘An adult is……’

• Beer pong

• A stand to buy ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ T-shirts, badges, play texts

There should be a screen projecting ALICIA’s life story/journey as a series of GIFs. These GIFs compliment the upbeat, vibrant, millennial world that ALICIA lives in. They should start with ‘QUARTER LIFE CRISIS’ and should include the #QuarterLifeCrisis. The following could be used as potential plotlines for the GIF stories:

Who is Alicia Adewale?
Where is she from?
Who/what are her inspirations?
Growing up in 21^st century Britain

In addition to what is in the space you can also hear loud commercial hits playing, from Hip hop, AfroBeats, R&B and Grime.

As soon as the Front of House team say, ‘House is now open’ the GIFs should change and just the words:

QUARTER LIFE CRISIS
Alicia Adewale
#QuarterLifeCrisis

should flash on the screen.

The music continues as the audience sit down.

ALICIA enters once everyone is seated.

It is 11am, Saturday 10th June, the day of TEE TEE’s wedding, and ALICIA has two hours to be there and find a date.

ALICIA is wearing her silk bed headscarf, a black velvet vest top with a green vest top underneath, and pink Pokémon pyjama bottoms. She is bare foot. Her make up is done for the wedding, but her focus is on her iPhone. She is scrolling through Tinder for a date. The guys that she is scrolling through are projected for the audience to see. ALICIA scrolls through a series of guys, swipes left, swipes right, enlarges photos, starts to type a message which is intercepted…

Beat.

ALICIA scoffs and screws up her face. Her Tinder chat is intercepted:

‘Incoming call from Dad’

Beat.

She rejects the call and diverts it to voicemail. Then puts her phone away.

Pause.

ALICIA:

Totally under-prepared

Totally under-educated

Beat.

well that’s a lie

ALICIA’s phone notification intercepts:

She looks briefly then puts her phone away.

’cause I’ve got eleven GSCEs

One BTEC First

BTEC National Diploma

Two A-Levels

One BA

and an MA

Beat.

More than qualified

more than capable

more than able

Beat.

But I’m totally under-prepared

under life skilled

under aware

underwear –

– Mum, where’s my underwear?

Beat.

don’t really know where my birth certificate is

don’t have my own place

don’t even know how to assemble an IKEA bed

Beat.

But who does?

Got Mum on speed dial for the somethings

the nothings

the everythings –

– Mum, should I take this job?

V/O ALICIA (AGE 8): Mum…

ALICIA (On stage.): What’s for dinner?

V/O ALICIA (AGE 16): Mum…

ALICIA (On stage.): What does pro-rata mean?

V/O ALICIA (AGE 24): Mum…

ALICIA (On stage.): How do I get home from here?

Last one’s a lie…

ALICIA: Hey Siri, How do I get home from here?

V/O SIRI: So...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Characters
• Preface From Yolanda Mercy
• Pre Show