A DOLL’S LIFE: CONFESSIONS OF A QUARTER-LIFE CRISIS

We’ve often seen shows unpack the midlife crisis in hilarious detail. But a quarter-life crisis?

This has got to be a first of its kind.

Micaela Jade Tucker is the brainchild behind “A Doll’s Life: Confessions of a Quarter-Life Crisis”.

The writer and performer revealed how she stitched this show together from real-life events.

Fresh off a flight from Cape Town, Tucker was en route to offload the gear for the one-woman show at Theatre on the Square.

Buzzing with unmistakable energy, she shared: “Towards the end of my 25th year, I’m 26 now, I realised that I needed to give myself the best birthday gift, which could only be a one-woman show. It was something that I knew that I wanted to do for a very long time.

“I just didn’t know how I wanted to do it or what the storyline was going to be or what I was going to talk about.”

She continued: “I had quite a tumultuous 25th year with some breakups, some health scares, which is all unpacked on the show, and it gave me enough content to be able to write this show.”

Interestingly, she debuted the show on her birthday after turning 26 last year. She followed it up with another run in Cape Town.

“And now we are putting it on in Joburg. The gift keeps on giving. It’s been a constant source of joy to me and my life.

Just being able to relive it night after night on stage is the best gift I could ask for really.”

Of course, fine-tuning as the show grows legs is a rite of passage and this offering is no different.

Naturally, refining the show as it develops is a typical process, and this production is no exception.

Tucker pointed out, “The show is still very much in its learning and growing phase. I always love feedback and I always try and take my reviews with a pinch of salt. And they have informed some of the decisions we’ve made along the way.

"But we are in a quieter, comfortable state where we are confident in our choices and we think the story is serving its purpose at the moment.”

She continued: “Bringing it to a new audience comes with an energy and vibe. Capetonians have their idiosyncrasies and so we are going to need to meet the Joburg audience with where they are at.”

Having Lara Toselli direct this side-splitting show, underpinned by raw honesty, has been an additional blessing for Jade Tucker.

The bottom line, it was the perfect marriage between vision and execution.

She admitted: “This is Lara and I’s first project together. However, we’ve had very similar life trajectories. We both were YoTV presenters on SABC1 for our entire childhoods. And then we both went to Wits drama school. It is almost as if she is the 10-year-old version of me, I would say.

“Lara was just the woman I needed to come on board with me with this project. We both wear many hats being the only two people who are the constants of the show, so I’m thankful that I have someone, who has crafted her own work before and knows what it means to put your heart on the line, in my corner.”

As for the plans for the show, Tucker confirmed they are eyeing several festivals.

“We have decided to put our show on at RedFest, which is on at Joburg in June this year. There are some eyes on other festivals in Cape Town. The ultimate goal is to take it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and to the UK.”

But that’s not all, she is also toying with it being expanded into different mediums such as a series or short film.

For now, audiences can live vicariously through her life story in this play.

Where: Theatre on the Square.

When: March 19 to 29, 7.30pm.

Cost: Tickets cost R200 and are available for purchase through Quicket.

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