Fat Pig

Toddled along to the Trafalgar Studios last night to see Fat Pig, the play by Neil LaBute. Set in America it's a four hander about how friends react when a bloke dates a 'big boned gal' - it also looks at how he deals with it, does he admit that the large lady is his date?

It's an interesting and funny piece; much of which is due to the quartet of fine British actors as the actual characters are pretty vile. Neil LaBute is a writer who can divide opinion - many think he is simply honestly highlighting much of what happens in the real world, other feel he's a misogynist.

An added bonus for this performance was a Q&A session after the play with LaBute and the four actors with the somewhat 'inspired' selection of Venessa Feltz as the chair. To be honest it was poorly handled by Feltz who let the audience, especially one or two people, to be far too vocal. I'd much rather have heard more from LaBute and the actors rather the vague pretentious twaddle of some of the audience - especially as LaBute and the actors came across as witty and intelligent, well aware of the issues the play threw up.

The cast are excellent and contains Kris (BT ads) Marhsall, Robert (Mitchell and Webb) Webb, Joanna (Gavin and Stacey) Page, and Ella (not sure) Smith. Webb and Smith are particularly good as the main couple.

You may not agree with LaBute - and the play has an honest rather than happy ending - but he raises an interesting issue; a man would get a lot more grief from his friends for going out with a fat woman than a woman would for going out with a fat bloke. The fat bloke in me is grateful - but that doesn't make it right!