Hay 2023 Picks: Dolly Alderton talks to Oti Mabuse
‘Dolly is undeniably wise and a comfort to young women nationwide’.
Dolly Alderton and Oti Mabuse’ collective stage presence was phenomenal; their energy was infectious, creating a warm, joyous energy that was full of laughter. In an ‘administrational fuck up’, Dolly and Oti thought they were both interviewing each other, so what transpired was a two-way interview between two new friends who got on like a house on fire.
Oti Mabuse is the charismatic and joyous professional Strictly dancer, who’s led an incredibly interesting and ambitious life. Growing up in South Africa, where she did a Civil Engineering degree, she moved to Germany to become a professional dancer before ending up in the UK. She’s also written two children’s books. Dolly is known for her writing on love, friendship and dating, and is the author of three books, with a new novel, Good Material, coming out in November – this time, told from the point of view of a man. The two joked about the strangeness of men, and it appears that Dolly is attempting to uncover the mask, having interviewed a plethora of men about their experiences of heartbreak for her new novel.
Both talked about their more chaotic romantic relationships as younger women, embarking on the question, ‘Why are so many young women attracted to the wrong kind of relationship?’. Dolly revealed the wisdom imparted on to her by the brilliant Marian Keyes, that she was ‘generating fake emotions to distract from the pain of being me’. Both emphasised the importance and value of true and honest friends throughout it all.
Dolly is undeniably wise and a comfort to young women nationwide, many of which were in the audience, speaking of how much Dolly’s work has helped them in hard times, and I’m certain that Good Material will bring that same comfort to more men and women alike.
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