I mention this because last night we went out to the Repertory East Playhouse in Saugus (one of our favorite venues) to see Neil Labute‘s play “Fat Pig”. This is part of a series of plays Mr. Labute wrote that look at how society perceives beauty. Other plays include “The Shape of Things” (where an attractive woman makes over a nerdy museum security guard into a heartthrob who falls in love with her, and then reveals that he was just an art project and that she wanted to give him the illusion of love) and the recently closed “reasons to be pretty” (which deals with the reactions that result when a girls face is called “regular”). “Fat Pig” deals with our reactions to larger women in society — which are not pretty. It seems fat is one of the few acceptable characteristics that one can make fun of with impunity; in fact, it seems to be encouraged due to the concern about obesity in society. That behavior wasn’t right when its was done based on skin color or gender. It’s not right when we do it based on sexual orientation. It’s not right when we do it based on size.
“Fat Pig” tells the story of Helen (Joy Nash), a beautiful zaftig (see, another euphemism) woman who is comfortable in her skin and with her size, and who has a joyful personality that bubbles out and infects those around her. One of those is Tom (Shane Stevens), who meets Helen having lunch one day, and rapidly falls for her, not caring about her size. The problem: others do…. especially some coworkers: in particular Carter (Tyler Brooks), Tom’s smart ass friend who loves to ride Tom for whatever, especially the fat girl he is hiding from his friends, and Jeannie (Leslie Connellyæ), the girl Tom once dated. Both Carter and Jeannie keep riding Tom to learn more about the girlfriend he is hiding… and Tom keeps falling more for Helen… but in private. Once Carter and Jeannie discover Helen, they both start picking on Tom for it. Carter makes fun of Tom’s choice by spreading the picture around the office and gossiping about the fat pig he is dating. Jeanne is miffed that Tom dumped her: trading someone was slender for someone who was fat. (My wife put the reason for that best: some men would rather go out with someone who is fat and happy than a skinny bitch). However, as with many Neil Labute’s plays, happiness does not ensure: although Tom and Helen love each other, Tom eventually dumps her because he cannot deal with the pressure of society’s non-acceptance of a young handsome man dating a woman who doesn’t fit society’s definition of beauty (this is a feeling I know well: my mother never accepted my wife, primarily because my wife was larger than the woman she thought I should marry).
The topics raised by this play are good ones: the value of accepting oneself for who you are. The ways that societal pressure can shape the relationships we form, and sometimes lead us to not form relationships just because others view them as unacceptable or non-normative. If you have ever been not accepted by society, or falling in love with someone who isn’t the slender model type, you will understand this play and its power.
This play was superbly acted and performed, and the entire cast is worthy of note. I particularly enjoyed the performance of Joy Nash (tengogozo, blog): she was just so beautiful and joyful and bubbly and comfortable with herself that one couldn’t avoid falling in love with her character (and she turned out to be just as joyful in real life, when we talked to her after the show). Her personal joy just came out in her character. Shane Stevens captured Tom quite well: a milktoast of a man who cannot be honest with himself or his friends, and who isn’t confortable with his feelings or where they take him. Leslie Connelly played the skinny obsessive bitch to a “T”: you hate her character from the moment she starts ragging on Tom for dumping her, and you are scared of her as you see the depth of her obsession. Tyler Brooks gives Carter the perfect asshole air: the friend who is always in your office, making fun of your choices, and teasing you about whatever makes you happy in life — he gets joy from your misery. You remember the type: the asswipe who made your life a living hell in high school. These four (Joy, Shane, Leslie and Tyler) created the perfect ensemble for thise show.
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Turning to the technical: This production was directed by Ovington Michel Owston (assisted by Johnny Schwinn), who creatively uses the small REP space to provide multiple locales, and who did a great job of bringing out the characters in the actors. The sound was by REP-regular Steven “Nanook” Burkholder. Lighting was also by a REP-regular, Tim Christianson, who provided very naturalist lighting, and used a strip light (one of those long lights with three colors alternating) in quite a nice way (I should note that our daughter E volunteered at the REP and helped hang some of those lights). The print and video design was by Mikee Schwinn. The production was stage managed by Justin Larkins.
“Fat Pig” continues at the REP until June 25th. Discount tickets may still be available through Goldstar and LAStageTix, although they go fast. The REP is running a special for friends of season subscribers: Drop our name (Faigin) when you call the box office at 661-288-0000, let them know we recommended the show to you, and you can get half-price tickets!
Upcoming Theatre: Next week still isn’t booked: I’m still waiting for tickets to “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, in its last weekend, to show up on Goldstar. August 1st brings “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (our last Saturday matinee before our tickets move to Saturday evening); the following day brings “Guys and Dolls” in concert at 8:30pm at the Hollywood Bowl. August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. We go on vacation shortly after that, but we may very well see “Tinyard Hill” at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto on Sun 8/16 @ 7:30 as there are still Goldstar tickets. Sat 8/22 sees us back at the REP for “Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang. August closes with the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday 8/29, where we are seeing Liza Minnelli. September brings the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashana is the evening of 9/18 and the morning of 9/19; Yom Kippur is the evening of 9/27 and the day of 9/28)–no theatre is currently ticketed for the month, although I’ve put in a request for “The Hound of the Baskervilles” at the REP on 9/25 @ 8pm. September does bring Tom Paxton at McCabes on 9/13. October brings “The Night is a Child” at The Pasadena Playhouse on 10/3 @ 8pm and “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on 10/24 @ 8pm, and should also bring “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum (HotTix go on sale 9/3; the show runs 9/24 through 11/15). As a reminder, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.
Lastly, remember that a recent study showed that it isn’t possessions that are important — it is shared experiences. So go have one of the best shared experiences there is: go support your local live theatre, and help keep all the people who work at the theatre (from the cast to the technical staff) employed.
