The first thing you realise about Katie Greenall’s Fatty Fat Fat is that it is primarily a documentary. Yes, it has creative, theatrical aspects and is put in the form of comedy. But it has a very clear message and is based on one person’s real-life experience.
This is Greenall’s first show, which she wrote “accidentally” while trying to “manage the chaos in her head”. Bold and energetic, it forces the audience to face things many of us choose to ignore or not admit in everyday life.
Greenall starts the show with Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, asking the audience to guess: how many pencils can she hold under her breasts? How many teaspoons she can hold between her thighs when squatting? How many lipsticks can she hide between the folds on her stomach?
This is a show to which most people can relate – especially women because almost all of us are socialised to have body image issues. At the same time, as paradoxical as it sounds, we all judge other women for their bodies. This show is brilliant because it tackles these issues and forces the audience to face the truth which should be conventional – and this show is the attempt to make it so: other people’s bodies are not there for us to comment on.
Fatty Fat Fat is on at Pleasance Courtyard – Attic (Venue 33)
At 15:15 until the 26th August
Tickets available here
Image: Helen James