Voted most likely to succeed in high school, Yoly, an aspiring writer, now finds herself in her early 30s, disillusioned and desperate. One evening while attending a celebration for her perpetually lucky friend Caro, she catches up with her fellow artist friends and can't help but feel like everyone else's life is finally coming together. Just as Yoly gleefully shares that she's a semi-finalist for a distinguished writer's grant, her world collapses when she discovers that Caro has been awarded that grant instead. Embarrassed and enraged, Yoly leads a rebellious rally call for all overlooked artists...but mostly, it's for herself. Crabs in a Barrel explores themes of jealousy, rage, and ambition in a world that just isn't very fair.