How to Give Up on Your Dreams is Meg Chizek’s compelling one-woman show: a performance that draws its strength from knowing and embracing its own limits.
That might not sound quite like a compliment, but it absolutely is.
Monologues only work when the story is well-conceived, sharply written, and infused with something engaging beyond the words themselves. By framing the piece as a coming-of-age story, Chizek operates on two levels: she offers the audience intimate access to her character’s inner world while taking us along on her evolution, through growth, disillusionment, and rediscovery.
Meg is only eight when she decides she’s going to be a dancer, no matter what. But as she grows older, and the dream demands more sacrifice and discipline, she finds herself confronting a world marked by competition, indifference, and, ironically, very little actual dancing.
Aware of how restrictive a solo monologue can be, Chizek finds witty, inventive ways to keep the performance dynamic. From playful parodies of people in her life, to musical interludes and spontaneous audience interactions, she injects humour and fun throughout.
At the center of it all is Meg herself, quite literally a star! She moves confidently and comfortably in and out of the narrative, with such presence and perceptiveness that I found myself mirroring her openness.
If the ending feels a little too prescriptive, I still appreciate the effort to articulate a message of acceptance and hope. Coming to terms with giving up on a dream, and finding the courage to start anew, is something profoundly challenging. What remains of us when we’re no longer defined by what we thought we’d be?
Sometimes, simply hearing that it’s okay can be incredibly powerful.
Chizek takes us on an emotional rollercoaster without sugarcoating or self-pity. Her clarity and honesty are both grounding and deeply soothing: a reminder that letting go doesn’t have to mean losing yourself.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How To Give Up On Your Dream runs at Greenwich Theatre until 8th November 2025. Tickets are available from https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/howtogiveuponyourdreams/
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