Winner of the Charlie Hartill Fund 2024, For the Love of Spam is a multi-sensory, participatory one-woman show dedicated to two things: canned meat and colonialism. Join CHamoru/Filipina theatre maker Sierra Sevilla to find out how this (delicious) canned meat symbolises modern-day colonialism.
In For the Love of Spam, Sierra brings to life her home island of Guam, and the people who live there. Using puppetry, movement and real on-stage cooking, this formerly Catholic, angry, and God-fearing woman strives to educate (and feed) the masses, all while ‘liberating’ her island. Sierra explores shifting immigrant narratives, Guam’s relationship with the US, and what it means to be caught in the crossfire of ‘West vs East’ political games that no one knows about.
Eating Spam in Western spaces, Sierra felt judged. For her, this food product reminds her of home, inextricably linked to the place she grew up, making her recall natural disasters and lack of access to fresh and affordable produce. For someone who has never had to rely on Spam in a typhoon, it’s hard to understand the love for this yummy, tinned product and the wider connotations. The show is a comedy with a heartfelt message – silly, educational and utterly delicious. It’s time for audiences to build up their appetite!
Writer and performer Sevilla comments, This show is borne out of a deep and frankly concerning love of canned meat. It was created as a love letter to Spam, but also an educational letter about modern day colonialism that is alive and well in the Pacific, specifically on my home island of Guam. It was inspired from a therapy session and feels highly relevant now as the world continues to grapple with questions about land ownership, occupation and political tensions in East Asia. This is the first one woman show about Pacific Islander identity developed in the UK, and covers themes of food, culture, colonialism and identity.
For the Love of Spam is a touching and hilarious show that will doubtlessly have you looking up a recipe for spam – ★★★★ Adventures in Theatreland
