Most people have probably, at one point or another, had a job that they did not particularly like. Joanie Little is no different. She graduated with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Earth Sciences, and imagined that she would be out there working with the likes of Jane Goodall, studying the animal wonders of the natural world.
Instead, she is a barista in a local coffee shop.
Now, that is not a bad job at all – it’s just not the one that she wanted. So, to while away the time, Joanie puts the skills that she learned at university to the best use that she can: she studies the natural wildlife of her surroundings – her customers!
This is the premise behind my one-woman show, ”Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl”. It is, to a point, based on my experiences. I really did work in a coffee shop, and it was not what I wanted to do: I wanted to be what I am now – an actress – and I certainly cannot claim to be an anthropologist.
Nevertheless, the variety of people that come into a coffee shop is certainly wide enough to be a fascinating study. After all, while the businessman who comes in of a morning and does not spare a kind word or a smile can be a difficult character to deal with, imagining him as a penguin, in his black and white suit, concerned with something wholly more important than talking to you, offers a more palatable outlook.
We have reached a point where many people, particularly those who are young, maybe fresh from university or school, are rarely offered the chance to work in their chosen field. The road to the eventual career must be treated with some care, lest the way be lost before it is reached. I hope that ”Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl” will appeal to people in that situation, but will also show that finding a coping mechanism that works for you will allow you to bear with that job until you achieve your goal.
Oh, the grumpy, overtired gorilla in the corner, grunting to himself and scowling at everyone? That’s the manager. You do not want to let King Kong out if you can help it, so make sure you’re on time and you don’t burn the milk!
I myself am Canadian and, just as Joanie longs to go on adventure, so I am on one now, performing in the UK for the first time – out of the comfort of my home turf into the jungle that is the rest of the world! Coming to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is exceptionally exciting for me, and is a huge step. While Canada has, to the best of my knowledge, the second largest Fringe festival in the world, it is less than one sixth the size of Edinburgh’s.
The pack in the corner? That’s the afternoon mothers’ meeting, prams and all. They create a defensive circle, and they will not let you in, come hell or high water. They are alert for each other all the time, save for the occasional venture out to acquire supplies. The herd in the corner is a lot less structured, but then that’s the student crowd for you.
What else is it about this show that I feel is relevant? The discussion of the coffee culture. Caffeine has a long, decorated history, stretching back centuries, and coffee is one of the drinks that has shaped history. When coffee shops first appeared, they were places to discuss business and ideas just as much as they are today – and more importantly so, since the advent of the internet and cellular technology has moved us away from face-to-face meetings to a point. However, we have also entered a time when many people rely on caffeine, and there is a whole new level of import that was not there before.
So, what can I get you?
”Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl” is at the Gilded Balloon Teviot Balcony. 5-31 August (not 12, 19, 26) at 18:30 (1hr) – £10(£9) or £9(£8), previews £5.
Submitted by Rebecca Perry
