Actors wanted!

On 3rd November 2012 we will be putting on a performance at the Canal Cafe Theatre in London, to celebrate the launch of our new book; Beyond Temptation. Everyone talks about weight loss, about dieting, about feeling fat and being fat. We want to talk about the eating, the overeating, we want to talk about what it's really like and that's what this show is all about. It's about giving a voice to the shame, the guilt, the judgements, the prejudice and the pain experienced by women who overeat. It's about telling the truth about the struggle to have a healthy, balanced, normal relationship with food. It's about waking people up to the reality that women who overeat are the norm, they are the majority and they are neither stupid or greedy nor lazy. It's about showing that not only overweight women overeat. So, so many of the women who look fine and acceptable by our current social standards are just as likely to struggle with food as those who are judged to be too big. Its about giving those women (you, me and everyone for whom this resonates) a voice, rather than continuing to peddle the fantasies we read about in the media, day in, day out. It's about dispelling the myth that all we need to do is get a grip and use a bit of sodding willpower, lose weight and everything will be ok.

We are looking for women who would like to join us, get up on stage and take part. You don't have to be a professional actor, if you have some experience of acting in any capacity, if you feel comfortable up on stage, if you truly enjoy performing, you are the woman we are looking for. There will be lines to learn but not endless pages or long scripts to memorise. There's a place for those who want to play a small part with just one or two lines or for those who are more gung-ho and want to take on more. It will most likely be challenging, scary, exciting and most importantly lots and lots of FUN!

We'll be giving two performances on Saturday 3rd November (tickets on sale soon), a matinee at 3pm and then an evening performance at 7.30pm. The theatre sits 60 people and there will be Beyond Chocolaters, journalists, family and friends in the audience. You'll need to be available, in London, for regular weekly rehearsals with Sophie, Audrey, Kirsty and Abby in September and October on the following dates:

Tues 18, 25 Sept, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30  Oct 7-10pm
Saturday 27 Oct 11am to 6pm

And of course on the day of the show - 3rd November, you'll need to be available from 10am until the end of the shows.

We have not yet finalised a location for the rehearsals but they will be in London, either central or north (probably in the Camden area).

If you'd like to be a part of this exciting production, please drop a line as soon as possible to sophie@beyondchocolate.co.uk or give us a call anytime on 07904125997

The Overeating Monologues

Remember the Vagina Monologues? Well, we reckon it’s time for the The Overeating Monologues. Time for women to break the taboo and speak up. So, that’s what we are working on right now and it’s one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on to date. Audrey and I and two wonderful Beyond Chocolaters (whom I shan’t name just now as I haven’t checked with them before writing this post - though you’ll know who they are soon enough) have been meeting regularly to create a play/show/performance - not quite sure what to call it at the moment - called The Overeating Monologues, to celebrate the launch of our new book, Beyond Temptation.

I have never done anything like this before, so I am incredibly grateful that the others are experienced in theatre and play writing. If the final performance is anything like our writing meetings there will be much laughter and just as much sighing and pause for thought.

I feel so sad that we put ourselves through hell, daily, about the way we look and the size of our bodies. And that the impact of our desperation for a body that says “I am acceptable, I am lovable, I am in control, I am successful” means that we mess with our eating to such an extent that it can become the most shameful and secretive part of our lives. And then we get caught up in a sticky web of vicious self hatred or equally destructive self pity.

I want to live in a world where women (and men) are not judged by the size of their bodies, the make of their clothes, the size of their salary... I want to live a life free from the obsession with food and nutrition. The Beyond Chocolate principles have literally saved me from a life of endless dieting and misery. Had I not stopped dieting all those years ago, I dread to think what my life would be like today. I want to shout out to the world that I will not collude with it’s prejudice towards women who overeat, whatever their size. Overeating is not a disease, it is not a sin, it is not a horrible, shameful indication of how out of control we are, it is simply a coping mechanism, a way to self soothe, a way to treat ourselves or a result of a complex biological and hormonal process that I understand far too little about (and am interested in learning more about).

The Overeating Monologues will give women a voice. If you are interested in taking part in any way (on stage, back stage, in any other capacity - or even if you’d just like to come and see the show in the autumn) we’d love to hear from you. We'll let you know the exact date (sometime in November) and venue in London as soon as we have these confirmed. In the meantime... watch this space!