A pink dinosaur walks into a bar.
Wait, I don’t think that’s right…
Leaving home behind, Hope is attracted to the bright glittering lights of London in this vulnerable comedic solo show from Charlotte Anne-Tilley (Winner of Everything Theatre’s Award for Ingenuity and 4theatre’s Best Debut Performance).
You’ll see it all in Almost Adult. Join Hope as she meets new mature pals, attractive Hinge dates, and gets a job at a dinosaur-themed bar. Her Manager’s a creep, but that’s okay. And her housemate hates her, but we don’t need to cover that.
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show is?
I am a northern actor-writer, Charlotte Anne-Tilley, and Almost Adult is a show based on my own experience as a northerner moving to London. It is a fish out of water comedy-drama about trying to fit in when you feel like an alien…or a fish, I guess? It’s got funky dance moments, HIGH tension moments (in a dinosaur-themed bar) and moments of vulnerability. It is also influenced by my real life experience of workplace sexual harassment at a large immersive entertainment company in London, and the impact that can have on someone who already feels like an outsider.
Tell us about the creative team and process involved?
This year, I am buzzing to work with Comedy Advisor, Elf Lyons. She trained in clown/ bouffon and will bring her expertise to the project. I am also working with the brilliant PJ Cunningham, our assistant producer, and the incredible team at Chloé Nelkin Consulting. It has always been important to have a completely female team on this show. Almost Adult is a show about navigating the world as a woman and we wanted that voice reflected at all levels of the production.
Almost Adult has been in my life for about three years now. It began as a thirty-minute zoom play, which I performed with a cast of four other actors during lockdown. It then became an hour-long solo show, which I developed with Beth Wilson and Imogen Mackie Walker. And three years later, I’m still at it (apparently, I just can’t take off that bloody dinosaur costume).
How does it feel to return to the Fringe?
I am so excited to return to the Fringe with Almost Adult. Last year was my Fringe debut, and it was one hell of a ride. This year, I have rewritten the show, and I can’t wait to get it in front of an audience.
This year, Almost Adult is also supported by The Survivor’s Trust, which means a lot to us. The Survivor’s Trust does amazing work to support people who have experienced sexual violence, and we are working with them this year to raise awareness of workplace sexual harassment.
There are over 3,000 shows at the Fringe. So, what sets your show apart?
Three words. Pink. Dinosaur. Costume. Oh, and Theatre and Other Things London wrote that “we honestly couldn’t fault Almost Adult”. They couldn’t fault it. If that doesn’t persuade you, I don’t know what will.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping for the audience to take away?
I want them to feel the weight of workplace sexual harassment, a weight that many women and non-binary people are forced to carry with them. I want them to leave ready to start conversations and keep the fire burning.
But on another level, I want audiences to feel like they’ve invested in the story and seen the protagonist Hope go from an “almost adult” to an “actual adult”. I want people to see themselves in Hope and leave with optimism that, even though we all face hardship and difficulty, there is joy and light to be found.
Your ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t there…?
Ideal audience = boss ass bitches
Not ideal audience = creepy men (nice men are welcome).
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
I can’t wait to eat poké. Mana Poké really hit the spot last year. If you’re feeling the edfringe stress, make a b-line for Mana Poké.
And there are so many shows I am looking forward to seeing! But here’s a few… Four Felons and a Funeral by Goya Theatre Company, HEART by Jade Anouka (one of our Top Theatre picks), Clementine by Rosalie Minnitt, and Junk Monkey by Olivia McLeod
In your ideal world, how can we improve the world of the Fringe, of performance, and the industry?
We need more initiatives and funds, like the Keep It Fringe Fund. The whole point of Fringe is to have a place where anyone and everyone can perform. But, because of the financial costs involved with Fringe, that simply isn’t the case currently. Most creatives are working an unbelievable amount of hours at a side job to afford even getting up to Edinburgh in the first place. While many incredible performers can’t afford to go up at all.
Anyone who has money to spare and believes in the arts should invest in the Fringe. It is the birthplace of so much creativity, and I think every creative should get the chance to go up and show audiences what they’re about.
