Yolanda Mercy

Mercy was born in London to Nigerian parents.{{Cite web|url=http://www.threeweeksedinburgh.com/article/yolanda-mercy-quarter-life-crisis/|title=Yolanda Mercy: Quarter Life Crisis|website=www.threeweeksedinburgh.com|date=26 July 2017 |access-date=31 August 2017}}

She trained at the Royal Academy of Dance, where she studied ballet, and at the National Youth Theatre. She then attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (where she obtained a BA Hons in Dance Theatre), and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (where she obtained a PGCert in Applied Theatre With Young People). Since then, she has performed and presented shows at several well-known British venues, including the Lyric Hammersmith,{{Cite news |url=https://lyric.co.uk/shows/ef-development-lab-works-in-progress/ |title=Development Lab: Work in Progress |work=Lyric Hammersmith |access-date=31 August 2017}} Battersea Arts Centre,{{Cite news|url=https://www.ayoungertheatre.com/feature-yolanda-mercy-lets-talk-about-mental-health/|title=Feature: Yolanda Mercy - "Let's talk about mental health"|date=27 April 2015|access-date=31 August 2017}} Shakespeare's Globe, and the Almeida Theatre. Internationally, her credits include a creative residency at the Platonov Arts Festival in Voronezh, Russia.{{Cite web|url=http://tv-gubernia.ru/programmy/efirnye_programmy/utro_vmeste/gosti_studii_imre_ozerden_jolanda_mersi_i_ekaterina_lyubimova/|title=[RUSSIAN] Гости студии: Имре Озерден, Йоланда Мерси и Екатерина Любимова - Интернет-канал "TV Губерния"|website=Интернет-канал «TV Губерния»|language=ru|access-date=31 August 2017}}

In 2015, Mercy won the Rich Mix "Small Story, Big City Emerging Artist Award", which helped her to develop On The Edge Of Me, her first solo show. On The Edge of Me is a dark comedy that uses audience participation, live music, and poetry to address a range of current topics including graduate unemployment and mental health issues.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/tbbs-albert-yanney-speaks-yolanda-mercy-solo-show-on-edge-me-focusing-mental-health/|title=Tbb's Albert Yanney Speaks to Yolanda Mercy Ahead Of Solo Show 'On The Edge of Me' Focusing on Mental Health |work=The British Blacklist|access-date=30 August 2017}}

As a result of successful performances at the Rich Mix and Paines Plough Roundabout, On The Edge of Me was picked up and developed further by the Soho Theatre and billed in their Soho Rising festival,{{cite web|title=Soho Theatre website|url=http://www.sohotheatre.com/news/soho-theatre-meets-yolanda-mercy/|website=Soho Theatre}} which features emerging artists. On The Edge of Me was also selected for funding by the Arts Council England, O2 Think Big{{Cite web|url=http://www.o2thinkbig.co.uk/projects-l2/edge-me|title=ThinkBig UK|website=www.o2thinkbig.co.uk|access-date=29 December 2017}} and Wandsworth Council. This piece sold out at the Soho Theatre, and was critically acclaimed.{{cite news|last1=Balfour|first1=Oscar|title=On The Edge Of Me|url=http://playstosee.com/on-the-edge-of-me/|access-date=14 May 2016|work=Plays To See|date=22 March 2016}}

On The Edge of Me has also been performed at The Rose Theatre Kingston, Paines Plough Roundabout, the Rich Mix, Time to Change, the Roundhouse, Soho Theatre, Upstairs at The Western, and most recently the Wandsworth Fringe.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/14402881.Award_winning_one_woman_show_On_the_Edge_of_Me_to_highlight_mental_health_issues_at_Wandsworth_Arts_Fringe/ |title=Award-winning one woman show On the Edge of Me to highlight mental health issues at Wandsworth Arts Fringe |first= Dayo|last= Laniyan|website=Wandsworth Guardian|date=4 April 2016|access-date=31 August 2017}}

In 2016, Mercy received a seed commission from OvalHouse, with support from Arc Stockton and Arts Council England,{{Cite web|url=http://yolandamercy.com/projects.html|title=Projects|website=yolandamercy.com|access-date=31 August 2017}} to develop a second solo show, which became Quarter Life Crisis. Originally titled Totally Unprepared,{{Cite news|url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/culture/yolanda-mercy-quarter-life-crisis-1073531.html|title=Yolanda Mercy Reveals The Inspiration For Her New Show 'Quarter Life Crisis'|website=Female First|date=11 July 2017|access-date=31 August 2017}} the show deals with young people's anxiety around becoming adults as well as exploring the London-born lead character's Nigerian heritage. After previews at OvalHouse{{Cite web|url=http://www.ovalhouse.com/whatson/detail/quarter-life-crisis-by-yolanda-mercy|title=Quarter Life Crisis by Yolanda Mercy {{!}} Ovalhouse|last=Vannozzi|first=Debbie|website=www.ovalhouse.com|access-date=31 August 2017}} and Arc Stockton,{{Cite web|url=http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.com/2017/04/preview-quarter-life-crisis-at-stockton.html|title=The North East Theatre Guide: Preview: Quarter Life Crisis at Stockton Arc|last=Oliver|first=Stephen|date=11 April 2017|website=The North East Theatre Guide|access-date=31 August 2017}} Quarter Life Crisis was selected by Underbelly Untapped to run at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Underbelly Cowgate venue. The Edinburgh run received positive reviews{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2017/yolanda_mercy/|title=Quarter Life Crisis|work=Edinburgh Fringe 2017|publisher=British Comedy Guide|access-date=31 August 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.thereviewshub.com/quarter-life-crisis-underbelly-delhi-belly-edinburgh/|title=Quarter Life Crisis – Underbelly Delhi Belly, Edinburgh|first=Lauren|last=Humphreys|date=10 August 2017|work=The Reviews Hub|access-date=31 August 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.westendwilma.com/review-quarter-life-crisis-underbelly-cowgate/|title=West End Wilma – REVIEW: Quarter Life Crisis (Underbelly Cowgate) |website=www.westendwilma.com|date=14 August 2017 |access-date=31 August 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2017/quarter-life-crisis-underbelly-cowgate-edinburgh/|title=Yolanda Mercy's semi-autobiographical show about a young black woman living in London|work=The Stage|access-date=31 August 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://broadwaybaby.com/shows/quarter-life-crisis/720040|title=Quarter Life Crisis|website=Broadway Baby|access-date=31 August 2017}} and toured in the UK in 2017. In April 2018, an adapted version of Quarter Life Crisis, produced and directed by Caroline Raphael, was broadcast on BBC Radio 1Xtra.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09xcph0 |title=1Xtra Presents: Quarter Life Crisis |publisher=BBC.co.uk |date=2 April 2018 |access-date=25 April 2018}}

File:Yolanda Mercy at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2.jpg

In 2013, Mercy attended a writers' programme at the Lyric Hammersmith, followed by the Soho Theatre's programme, where she completed her first play, Him, Her, It and I. This work secured her a place on the Tamasha Playwrights programme.{{cite web|title=Tamasha Theatre Company website|url=http://www.tamasha.org.uk/tamasha-playwrights-2014-15/|website=Tamasha Theatre Company website}} It was during her attachment to Tamasha that Mercy was employed by them to lead writing workshops across the UK at places such as Derby Theatre, Chelthenham Everyman Theatre and Luton Hat Factory. In 2016, Mercy was commissioned by Tamasha and the Migration Museum Project to write a play for teens, which premiered in April 2016. Her work has been performed at several London venues such as the Almeida Theatre, the Bush Theatre, Theatre503, Soho Theatre and the St James Theatre.

In 2015, Mercy teamed up with the Lyric Hammersmith to offer four artists aged 16–25 an opportunity to develop their own work, on a project which she created called "Development Lab".{{Cite web|url=http://lyric.co.uk/changing-landscapes-changing-lives/latest-news/entry/artist-call-out--development-lab/|title=Development Lab project}} She was also invited to speak and perform for the British Psychological Society at their "Minorities in Clinical Psychology" annual conference (using On The Edge of Me as a starting point).{{cite web|title=Agenda for the "Minorities in Clinical Psychology" annual conference 2015|url=https://www.bps.org.uk/events/minorities-clinical-psychology-training-annual-conference|website=British Psychological Society website|access-date=14 May 2016}}

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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:Actresses from London

Category:Black British actresses

Category:British stage actresses

Category:British women dramatists and playwrights

Category:English people of Nigerian descent