How do you find a new ‘once upon a time’ after the ‘happy ever after’ never turned up?
Victoria is on a quest to discover how you make a new life when you can’t have the one you imagined. In this big hearted, big thinking show of storytelling and physical comedy our heroine’s mid-life search for joy, identity and belonging features public displays of playfulness, private truths and sheer bloody mindedness. Join Victoria as she asks – is it possible to be happy without kids?
“I have just read the script and am totally in love with it…honest, funny, sad.”
-Ellie Harrison, Artist, The Grief Series
‘Made me think about all the BIG questions’ – Audience member
“Entertaining and easily relatable” – The List
How to be amazingly happy! tells my autobiographical story of wondering whether to have kids, seeking medical intervention, coming up empty handed and ultimately exploring coming to terms with and discovering what to do with the second half of my life as a non-mother. It includes storytelling, physical comedy, clowning techniques, audio recordings and live art influences.
I hope the show will resonate with the many woman not sure whether to have kids or without the right partner/circumstance to match their white picket fence dreams, the many people who have IVF, those that don’t, won’t, or can’t have children and how they build a life outside of the accepted trajectory. Family diversity is greater than ever but there is still very little social validation for those who don’t have kids or people how have non-traditional lifestyles.
The show is about frivolous escapades into finding that elusive joy, fulfilment and life balance that everyone is searching for and takes a look at these things in the context of not having children. A lot of woman end up in complicated discussions with themselves about whether to have children, how to do it if they’re single, or in a same sex relationship, find out they can’t have kids or missed the window, try IVF and fail and/or are worried what life looks like without taking that step. This show is about the love and loss of that journey and lots of laughs about what might happen next…
‘Compelling physical theatre’ – Audience Member
“Victoria performs with passion and soul but in a raw and honest way. ..There is a distinctive charm about her performance, and a whole lot of originality.” -EdFringe Review
‘It speaks most to those of us of a certain age who find ourselves wondering what it is that actually fulfils us and whether we are making the most of ourselves and our time. But anyone can enjoy the warmth, the honesty, and the fun that shines through the performance.’ -Audience Member
Photo credit Cathy Pilkington