This is not an exit

Synopsis

A London flat, present day. The boundaries between reality and imagination blur as a woman grapples with her identity.

Nora, a 40-something journalist for a women’s magazine, finds herself adrift in a sea of conflicting expectations and societal pressures. As she struggles with an identity crisis, three distinct female archetypes materialize to offer their own brand of guidance: her activist mother, a relic of second-wave feminism; Gulch, an aggressively ambitious life coach; and Ripley, a teenager steeped in social media culture.

Zakarian’s play is a sharp, surrealist exploration of contemporary womanhood and the generational divide in feminist thought. Through Nora’s interactions with these conflicting influences, the playwright examines themes of personal authenticity, societal expectations, and the legacy of feminist movements. The dreamlike quality of the piece, where it’s unclear if these encounters are real or imagined, adds a layer of psychological depth to Nora’s journey of self-discovery. As the title suggests, there are no easy answers or exits from the maze of modern female identity.