I sat down with Lisa Sa to find out more about Emotionally Undercooked coming to The Miller this October.
Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?
Emotionally Undercooked is a 60-minute one-woman comedy-drama about dating, heartbreak, vulnerability and the slightly chaotic journey of trying to become a more emotionally mature human being.
It combines character work with autobiographical storytelling, so audiences can expect a mix of comedy, honesty and some painfully recognisable moments. Ultimately, it’s a show about what happens when you know you need to change, but you’re not quite ready to admit how difficult that actually is.
What drew you to this specific story?
The show came out of heartbreak, really. I was trying to make sense of my dating life and decided to start writing about it.
I became fascinated by the gap between what we know about ourselves and what we actually do. We can understand our patterns, talk about them, analyse them endlessly, but actually changing them is a different story altogether.
That felt both funny and painfully human, and I wanted to explore it through characters and storytelling rather than just telling a straightforward story about a breakup.
What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?
The biggest challenge has probably been being that vulnerable while also making it entertaining.
There are definitely parts of the show that come from very real experiences, so putting them on stage can feel quite exposing. But I didn’t want to create something that was simply a therapeutic exercise for me – I wanted the audience to laugh, recognise themselves and hopefully leave feeling like they’d been on a bit of an emotional journey too.
And, of course, doing a whole 60-minute show on your own means there’s nowhere to hide!
How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?
Because it’s a one-woman show, the design is intentionally there to support the storytelling rather than overwhelm it.
The intimacy of the space is really important. The audience is essentially coming into my world, and the simplicity allows the characters and the story to take centre stage.
Sound and lighting help create shifts between the different emotional worlds of the piece and give the audience a sense that we’re moving through memories, moments and different sides of the story. It also helps the show feel bigger than one person standing on a stage – although, technically, it is very much one person standing on a stage!
If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?
“A messy emotional reckoning.”
Because I think that’s ultimately what the show is. It’s funny, uncomfortable, vulnerable and occasionally ridiculous – much like trying to navigate relationships and figure yourself out.
It’s about realising that heartbreak isn’t necessarily the end of the story. Sometimes it’s the thing that forces you to look at yourself a little more honestly.
Emotionally Undercooked runs at The Miller, London, on 7 October. Tickets available at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hoopla-emotionally-undercooked-lisa-sa-tickets-1998227940561?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
