‘Schoolgirl
Figure’ takes on sensitive issues
with humor
By
Cindy Chiang
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
“
Schoolgirl Figure,” which opened last weekend in Los Angeles, is a bitterly
hilarious play about the impossible body images teenage girls starve themselves
to live up to. It was written by Wendy Macleod, and directed by Alex M. LaGory.
Macleod uses dark humor to confront the effects of the media’s role in
a young girl’s transformation into an adult. Jennifer Capps plays the
role of Renee, an anorexic in the ruthless world of high school cliques. Hannah
Crum portrays Patty, Renee’s bulimic best friend.
The play follows a group of teenage girls trapped in the ideals of perfection,
and are literally dying to become popular. In this quest for perfection, girls
are competing for supremacy and recognition.
“ Only the smallest size
will win the prize,” resounds throughout the play as the girls are fighting
for the throne as “Queen Carpenter,” a title that includes “The
Bradley,” the most desired guy in school.
This play also tackles the ugly truth about anorexia and bulimia. The ultimate
goal of control drives Renee to unrealistic expectations of her self-image.
“
The play is wickedly hilarious, even though we know the subject matter is very
serious,” said LaGory. “We’ve all been desperate high schoolers
before, trying to fit in, to be noticed or not noticed. Ms. Macleod’s
deft tough gives us permission to laugh at that common pain.”
The sinister exaggerations of high-school drama reminded me of the movie “Mean
Girls.” It pokes fun at the impossible expectations teenage girls have
for themselves. “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels,” says Renee,
lecturing Patty for eating a cookie.
Kimberly Wood plays Jeanine, Renee’s arch-rival in pursuit of the throne,
and “The Bradley.” Competition heats up as they both discover the
reigning anorexic queen is dying of starvation, which means the throne and “The
Bradley” are up for grabs.
The play is witty and modern; as Renee sarcastically declares, “It doesn’t
matter what I am, it’s what I’look like,” it hard not to
laugh at this serious issue with Capps’ flawless portrayal of a silly
drama queen.
With a touch of clever, grim humor, Macleod raises the question, when will
girls finally be comfortable with their own bodies?
“My idea was to write about a high school where the girls were competing
to disappear — this idea that women should take up less space,” Macleod
said.
“
In this age of obesity, Atkins-mania and celebrity before and after pictures
splashed across magazines, everybody is obsessed with what they eat, or more
to the point what they don’t eat!” said producer Hannah Crum.
“
Schoolgirl Figure” continues through Oct. 9 at the Lounge Theater on
Santa Monica Boulevard and El Centro Street, in Los Angeles. Tickets are $20,
$3 off for students and seniors. For more information, visit www.chromolume-theatre.com. |
