Neil Labute's Fat Pig is currently playing at the Performance Works theatre on Granville Island. If you're familliar with his stuff, you'll know that it's usually pretty dark and uncomfortable.
Fat Pig is the tale of Tom, a young man who dates Helen, a heavy set woman, only to be made fun of by his peers and pressured into leaving her. It's an exploration of society's views on physical beauty, love vs popular opinion, and standing up for oneself, or at least, the struggle to do so.
I wanted to see this off-Broadway in New York a few years ago, when Felicity's Keri Russell was in it, alongside Jeremy Piven and Andrew McCarthy. I didn't know the woman who played Helen, though, and the show was only just beginning as I was leaving. So I'm glad I was able to see this local production of it!
The performances of all the actors were great, considering the set was pretty stark and the direction had the actors either sitting down at a table or even down on the ground. I've always been told that a good director never makes his/her cast sit on stage, as it depletes the energy. But that just shows how remarkable these four actors were, being able to convey emotion and give great performances from their respective disadvantage points.
Fat Pig plays until May 30th, with cheaper matinee showings, or if you prefer, like me, attend a 2 For 1 show - the next 2 For 1 is Tuesday, May 26.
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