With “Fat Pig,” button-pushing playwright Neil LaBute had the opportunity to honestly explore the thrilling confusion of unexpected primal desire. That mysterious and unexplainable chemical response we sometimes have to another person, whether it’s love at first glance or 500th.
This visceral explosion can be especially discombobulating when it goes against lifelong preferences like hair or eye color; against more common barriers like race, age or body type; or to mind-blowing departures like gender.
We want who we want, and that’s that. Our only say in the matter is what we choose to do with that attraction — be brave and pursue it, with all its inherent risks, or retreat into cowardice. Because what scares you can sometimes terrify those around you.
Human beings are weak, especially in LaBute’s emotionally pugilistic world.
In his softest play to date (and that has nothing to do with cellulite), a trim, handsome yuppie named Tom (Jeremy Make) finds himself unexpectedly crushing for a disarmingly funny and attractive woman of size named Helen (Jenni Graham). He’s a serial dater who’s never before even considered the possibility of connection with anyone but model beauties. But in some of the most thoughtful writing in his acclaimed, nasty career, LaBute has penned an unlikely romance that’s not only sweet and believable, but easy to root for, because these two are plainly good for each other.
But anyone who knows LaBute knows we’re being set up. And when Tom begins denying Helen more times than Peter denied Jesus, you know just where LaBute is going.
In another time and place, these two might be flanked by open-minded and open-hearted friends. But LaBute populates his plays with vapid, infantile jerks to the near exclusion of anyone with any kind of courage. These are cretins whose presence you don’t want to suffer in a bar, much less on a stage.
Here, Tom is besieged by two vicious co-workers — jealous babe Jeannie (Kate Avallone) and obnoxious frat boy Carter (Brian Landis- Folkins), who’s a callous nimrod and mirror image of the pre-Helen Tom.
You might ask why Tom cares how anyone else feels about his new love, and the answer is, of course, that we just do. As a society, we despise difference. We’re comfortable with Roseanne and Dan. But the very idea of, say, Roseanne and George Clooney freaks us out.
Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s simple, provocative staging of “Fat Pig” makes for a compelling if too long night of contemporary theater, especially for a young-adult audience. It’s well-staged, capably performed — and intentionally frustrating.
It’s a delight to sit back and enjoy an utterly natural Graham in her first significant role here. Her Helen is well- adjusted and understandably cautious until she is, over time, made vulnerable by Tom’s insecurity.
It’s worth noting that Graham is by no means an obese woman. That’s a great choice by director Stephen Weitz, because the smaller your Helen is, the more shocking it is to hear her called, well, a fat pig. Which only makes LaBute’s criticism of society’s narrow definition of beauty all the more pointed.
Consider that Carter is constantly carping about how Jeannie (the babe) has put on a few pounds. Then comes a beach scene in which Avallone emerges in a skimpy bikini that leaves no doubt that she is, by any definition, a physical goddess. But to superficial jerks like Carter, there is only one unforgiving factor in assessing a woman’s beauty. And if this moron is not everyman, he is certainly the average man.
But regrettably, LaBute has not penned four real human beings; rather four at times eye-rolling character types, and that’s an impossible obstacle for Weitz’s cast to fully overcome. The two secondary characters, in particular, could have been written with more complexity.
We’ve all lost friends to new lovers, and felt the conflicted pangs of happiness intermingled with petty jealousy. We’ve all had hopeful feelings for a co-worker dashed, their ongoing presence a daily reminder of just how hard it is to move on when no one has moved anywhere. But LaBute’s not interested in exploring those kinds of complex feelings in any real way.
There’s no nuance, no depth, no layering, no epiphany — just weasels. And the only real surprise here is discovering whether the ultimate rodent will emerge from without or within.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
“Fat Pig” *** (out of four stars)
Love American style. Presented by the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company at the Dairy Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Written by Neil LaBute. Through Nov. 23. 2 hours, 15 minutes. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. $15-$20. 888-512-7469 or
Video: “Fat Pig” star Jenni Graham in her own words
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“This subject matter is near and dear to my heart. And this role is an actor’s dream. I’m excited to challenge myself on every level.” Jenni Graham (Helen in “Pig”; most recently in ensemble in No Holds Bard’s “Twelfth Night” and “Macbeth”).
The story: A fit, upscale career guy falls in love with a bright, funny Rubenesque librarian, but societal pressures strain the bonds of love and make us question who we are and what we’re willing to fight for.
The intrigue: This regional premiere will make people confront their willingness to either stand up or bow down.
This weekend’s theater openings
“Braided Sorrow.” Su Teatro brings back its recent premiere staging of Marisela Treviño Orta’s meditation on the unsolved murders and disappearances of hundreds of female workers from American sweatshops in Juarez, Mexico. Through Sunday. 4725 High St., 303-296-0219 or
“The Diaries of Adam and Eve.” Colorado Stage Company presents Mark Twain’s adaptation of the Biblical tale. Here, Adam is puzzled by the new arrival in his garden. They annoy one another but come to love each other. Through Nov. 29. Lone Tree Golf Club, 9808 Sunningdale Blvd., 303-471-8171 or
“Nunsense.”
Can you believe those five zany nuns from Hoboken are still trying to raise money to bury theose poor fellow sisters done in by tainted soup? Through Dec. 31. Union Colony Dinner Theatre, 802 Ninth Ave., Greeley, 970-352-2900 or
“An O Henry Christmas.”
Miners Alley Playhouse presents the writer’s “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf,” seasonsal tales that embrace love, giving and hope. Through Dec. 21. 1224 Washington St., Golden, 303-935-3044 or
“Plaid Tidings.”
A holiday variation on “Forever Plaid,” the nostalgic story of a 1950s all-male quartet who were killed in a car crash on their way to their first big gig. A revue of pop standards of the day. Through Dec. 21. Nonesuch Theatre, 216 Pine St., Fort Collins, 970-224-0444 or .
“Sylvia.” Red Rocks Community College presents the familiar story of restless Manhattan empty-nesters who make room for a stray dog that becomes a major bone of contention between husband and wife. Through Nov. 23. 13300 W. Sixth Ave., Lakewood, 303-914-6458.
“When Pigs Fly.” Theatre Group reopens an old standby: Howard Crabtree’s outrageous musical-revue extravaganza with a glittery, gay twist. Through Dec. 28. New Denver Civic Theatre, 303-777-3292 or .
“Who Wants to Murder a Millionaire?” Adams Mystery Playhouse presents interactive comedies that start during dinner and continue beyond. Here, your presence is requested at the reading of the will for the recently deceased multibillionaire, Senior Meene. Through Nov. 29. 2406 Federal Blvd., 303-455-1848 or .
Complete theater listings
Go to our complete list of every currently running production in Colorado, including summaries, run dates, addresses, phones and links to every company’s home page.
This week’s video podcast:
Running Lines at Shadow Theatre on election night
Denver Post theater critic John Moore captures the scene at Denver’s only primarily black theater company on the night Barack Obama is elected president. Guests include Jeffrey Nickelson, Judge Raymond Jones, Dwayne Carrington, Ghandia Johnson, Zawdie Ekundayo and PJ D’Amico. Filmed Nov. 4, 2008. Run time: 10 minutes.
