The flyer promises “Fat Today … Thin Tomorrow” and that “you’ll lose 5 pounds in 1 hour!” Tempted? Yep – most of us have already bought into the gym culture in search of the illusive ‘perfect physique’, and it is that quest which this play focuses on, while questioning the role the gym plays in our “emotional” lives; is it therapy, escapism or simply a place to hide when life isn’t going too great?
The youthful cast energetically explore what pushes us into the gym in the first place, what keeps us there and the subsequent probability that we’ll give up. The mock trial of three characters, accused of the crime of allowing their gym attendance to dwindle, cleverly examines the associated guilt and pressure to conform to fanatical gym programmes.
There are some well observed comical moments caught by fairly convincing dialogue and the cast convey the competitive and hostile attitude of the suitably smug staff at the gym reception desk. Within the time frame the play didn’t really manage to cover all three characters’ stories in adequate depth. However, it did attempt to go beyond a fairly predictable love triangle, despite a rather unfortunately comic mime of a young woman drowning. Much of the rest of the physical choreography really worked well, especially the portrayal of the dangers of the treadmill.
Overall, a warm, highly watchable play which allowed you to feel that you’re fulfilled and happy when you can’t be bothered to go to the gym, rather than lazy, guilty and “fat”. The cast’s t-shirts ask you to “Be Yourself Only Better” but in the defending lawyer’s Ali McBeal style summation she suggested that the gym might not be the best place to achieve that.
3/5
Emma Flatman
