Basic Bitch, a theatrical midlife crisis introspective by Nanna Gunnarsdóttir

This is an overview of the research behind the making of a final project by Nanna Gunnars, an MA student in Performing Arts at Iceland University of the Arts. The final project culminates in a stage performance titled Basic Bitch in January 2026, but this research is presented a month earlier. The research shows the continuous change that takes place during the creative process. How many tumbles and changes does the creative process go through during the making of a devised theatre performance? The performance is yet to be finished, so readers are placed in the midst of the thought process and given an insight into the author's thinking process and devising methods.

References used in this exposition:

Dictionary.com. 2018. "Basic Bitch". March 1. https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/basic-bitch/

"Grey's Anatomy - Cristina doesn't want to be mother 1/3 sub." 2011, October 19. Short video clip from TV show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9vAqxHxRGg&t=61s

Keating, Shannon. 2024. "Should I Be a Mom, or Should I Stay a 'Brat'?" The Cut, June 13. https://www.thecut.com/article/brat-charli-xcx-should-i-have-kids-or-not.html

Learning Mind. 2019. "Why Judging Others is Our Natural Instinct, Harvard Psychologist Explains." Francesca Forsythe, LL.M., M.Phil., February 20. https://www.learning-mind.com/judging-others/

That Childfree Life. n.d. "Navigating friendships as a childfree adult." Accessed December 1, 2025.

https://www.thatchildfreelife.com/post/navigating-friendships-as-a-childfree-adult

The Daily Show. 2023. "Chelsea Handler discusses being childless by choice - Long Story Short." Feb 9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTyJ77Y7XB0

The Guardian. 2020 "Being childfree by choice - five women on why they decided not to have kids." July 7. Video, 6 min., 57 sec.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Q644-1lNE

Reighter, Christen. 2016. "I don't want children, stop telling me I'll change my mind." TEDxMileHighWomen Talk, October. Video, 14 min., 26 sec.

https://www.ted.com/talks/christen_reighter_i_don_t_want_children_stop_telling_me_i_ll_change_my_mind

Spoken Reasons. 2009. "@LilDuval Basic Bitch! - @SpokenReasons". August 3. Video, 2 min., 41 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUXt7N_TmdI

Further reading:

Boal, Augusto. 2003. Games for Actors and Non-Actors. Routledge.

Buchanan, Daisy. 2014. "Why I'm proud to be a basic bitch." The Guardian, April 14. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/14/proud-to-be-basic-bitch

Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir. 2016. "Hver er þessi basic bitch?" Vísir, July 9. https://www.visir.is/g/2016918142d/hver-er-thessi-basic-bitch-

Kamran, Gabriella. 2016. "The Basic Feminist Bitch." Fem Magazine, November 30. https://femmagazine.com/the-basic-feminist-bitch/

Machon, Josephine. 2019. The Punchdrunk Encyclopaedia. Routledge.

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