26 Sep 2023
A side splitting new comedy is coming to the Maltings Theatre this October. The Dating Diary is a heartfelt comedy set in north London, exploring the life of Amelia as she approaches her 30th birthday.
Amelia is feeling the weight of societal expectations as she grapples with her lack of “milestones”. Having never experienced love or success in relationships; stuck in a career she hates, Amelia turns to her confident, outgoing ‘influencer’ best friend, Laura and her therapist, Elaine for guidance.
Together, they navigate the modern dating landscape, complete with dating apps, social media pressures, and an array of unforgettable characters like Kyle, the quintessential
misogynist and his lovable but easily influenced and long suffering best friend crush, not to mention compassionate former soldier Ronnie, who might just be exactly what Amelia is looking for.
Melissa Jessica Amer and Scott Henderson, college friends turned creative partners, started writing ‘The Dating Diary’ in the summer of 2020. Born out of lockdown boredom, this comedic exploration of millennial dating life, social pressures, and the quest for happiness was inspired by real-life experiences and observations.
Scott explained: “Melissa’s whirlwind and chaotic dating history provided the initial spark, and together, we transformed her colourful anecdotes into an ensemble of lovable characters.”
Melissa added: “We wanted to portray a true and real representation of working class people from how we knew them to be growing up, who are good, kind and intelligent. We wanted to create something relatable and lighthearted that everyday people could connect to.”
First came Kyle, a caricature of toxic masculinity, his absurdity and misogyny turned into an opportunity for humour. As the cast expanded, the stories delved deeper into societal norms; the relentless pursuit of social media perfection, the pressure to settle down, and the feelings of inadequacy these expectations can give.
Melissa elaborated: “It’s daunting approaching 30 and seeing your peers hit milestones like getting married and having kids.
“That along with seeing perfect poreless faces and amazing edits on Instagram can make you feel you’re not doing as well, and can take a toll on your mental health. In reality, social media is just the good edit of life that everyone wants you to see. We wanted to show that you are brilliant as you are and all the chaos and things that seem to go wrong can actually be funny and lead you right where you’re supposed to be.”
You can be the first to catch the show at The Maltings Theatre from October 5-7 at 7.30pm before it transfers to London.
Tickets from www.ovo.org.uk/big-shows/The-Dating-Diary
