Written and performed by Rachel Stockdale, this powerful one-woman play Fat Chance is heading on tour from 8th March, International Woman’s Day. This funny and honest production, directed by Jonluke McKie, explores Stockdale’s true-life experiences of weight gain from size 8 to size 18 as she rebels against toxic beauty standards and expectations, and takes back the word fat.
Stockdale (Scar Top, BBC Radio 4; The Black Prince, Netflix), a fat, benefit-class actress from Middlesbrough, explores her experiences as she fights against conformity and celebrates her own body in this critically acclaimed production. The audience is invited to dive in headfirst with Stockdale as she faces challenges on her journey to carve out a career as an actress, all while tackling diet culture, stigma and audition nerves.
Writer and performer Rachel Stockdale comments, It’s important to have authentic fat representation on stage and I think being confident and happy in my skin as a woman who is a size 18-20 is pretty radical. We’re seeing an increasing number of people taking Ozempic (diabetes medication) to lose weight regardless of the impact on their health and actors winning awards for daring to wear a fat suit and be seen as ugly (I have strong opinions on The Whale’s fatphobia!). As a professional actor I’ve been told by top agents that even though I have talent I’m ‘too Northern, fat and female’. Fat Chance is a funny, reflective look at my life and struggles to succeed in an industry that doesn’t want to represent people like me.
Fat Chance is for anyone who’s felt like they had to shrink themselves, adapted to be more palatable to others, put on or lost weight and been treated differently and anyone who’s had free school dinners. Fat Chance is an opportunity for anyone who feels they don’t fit to come along and celebrate themselves.
