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Weight

nytheatre.com review by Amy Rhodes
August 15, 2005

In her solo show Weight, Melanie Hoopes tackles heavy issues: body image and the social stigma that plagues women who are seen as either too skinny or too fat. The show, which was borne out of interviews with women whose weight ranged from 70 to 1000 pounds, sheds light on the epidemic of eating disorders.Hoopes begins the show as herself, stripped down to only a nude colored body suit as she steps on the scale and reveals her own weight to the audience. Then she transforms herself in to four women of varying age, class, race, and weight. Hoopes plays a mother whose daughter suffers from anorexia, a woman so obese she is housebound, a young Hollywood starlet who battles bulimia, and a middle-aged woman who attends her high school reunion after losing more than 100 pounds.At the beginning of each monologue, each woman steps on the scale to reveal her own weight, with results ranging from 120 pounds to over 500 pounds. At first glance it seems these diverse women have nothing in common with one another. Yet, as they each tell their own story, it becomes clear they are all linked together by the profound effect weight has had on their lives.Hoopes is an incredibly gifted performer and writer. The seven-months-pregnant actress is obviously comfortable in her own body and effortlessly embodies each of the characters she portrays. She creates vivid, nuanced characters who are funny, but also have a raw emotional vulnerability that Hoopes flawlessly brings to the surface. Each character’s struggle with weight and how it has affected her life is engaging. Their personal stories have a resounding universality in them.Directed by Jamie Sherman with sharp precision, Weight candidly explores an all-too-common subject matter that is sadly still taboo in society. In her show notes, Hoopes writes that she is not certain the play will prevent anyone from acquiring an eating disorder, but she hopes it may make people more sensitive to those who struggle with them. Through humor and honesty, Hoopes does just that. She creates a beautifully moving piece of theatre that will have you thinking long after you leave the show.