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Fat Pig
By Neil LaBute
Directed by Joe Jahraus
Profiles Theatre
4147 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL
Call 773-549-1815, tickets $20 - $25
Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 7 PM
Running time is 100 minutes with no intermission
Through April 1, 2007
Powerful and realistic look at our aversion toward fat people
Neil LaBute’s marvelously written play dramatizes our aversion to fat people in our slim, youthful oriented society. This bitingly funny romance involves a “good-looking” guy who falls in love with a plus-size woman. Tom (Darrell W. Cox) is the spinelessly weak personality who can’t ever tell what’s on his mind or be honest because he is overwhelmed by peer pressure.
Tom wants a soul mate and when he finds Helen (Deborah Hearst), a plus-size woman at peace with herself and a kind, nurturing person whose only requirement is honesty. The two have a wonderful romance that is epic in true love until Tom decides to hide her from his peers since he really isn’t comfortable with her size.
Carter (Eric Burgher) is the sharp-mouthed, arrogant office gossip who hates fat people and pressures Tom to stay one of the boys. When he and Jeannie (Katie Crawford) discover Tom has fallen for a fat woman, they insult him. Jeannie is so self absorbed that she accuses Tom of falling for a fat girl just to insult and hurt her. Carter preaches that ultimately Tom is one of the pretty people and he belongs with the young and slim. Deep down Tom agrees despite his strong desire to be with Helen.
LaBute has captured the essence of characters strongly controlled by office peer pressure where the images require that only the young and slim are the beautiful people. LaBute aptly defines the gutless, weak personality of the male ‘people-pleaser’ (Tom).and the cruel judgmental Carter. Without giving away the plot twists, LaBute offers a snapshot of the influence of a person’s weight on human relations, both direct and indirect. This is a smart, telling drama with comic elements. Darrel W. Cox and Deborah Hearst give compelling performances filled with realism and passion. This is an important contemporary play that dramatizes our discrimination against fat people.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date reviewed: September 15, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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