WORKING CAST PRODUCTIONS AND SMALL THINGS THEATRE PRESENT
A Gym Thing By Tom Vallen
StageSpace, Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, London N7 9EF
Monday 30th April – Sunday 13th May 2018
Press Night: Wednesday 2nd May 2018, 7.45pm
“After all if you’re in shape people notice you, and being ignored is the last thing you want to happen”
Following a highly successful run at Edinburgh Fringe 2017, A Gym Thing transferred to London’s Pleasance Theatre. Written and performed by Tom Vallen, this powerful production presents a brutally honest portrayal of the rising health concerns of gym addiction.
Set within a 60-minute workout, A Gym Thing shines a much-needed spotlight on the world of Bigorexia or Muscle Dysmorphia (reverse anorexia) – a subtype of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). BDD is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder that affects both men and women - for those suffering with this, quality of life is extremely poor and, shockingly, suicide rates are amongst the highest out of all mental disorders.
Driven by a daily quest for perfection, Will takes us on a fast-paced, sweaty, physical exploration of how the gym has strengthened and weakened his relationships, his physique and ultimately his life. This complex love story offers a truthful insight into a gym addict’s point of view about body image while offering those who don't visit the gym a greater understanding about why gym goers strive for perfection.
PRESS REACTION
About Tom Vallen: “It’s a performance of bravura-level control, physically and vocally.”
“A lean and powerful 60-minute drama about a young man’s gym addiction”
"An impressive study of self-loathing and the desire to be seen." (**** The Stage).
"...Required watching for anyone who finds themselves getting obsessive about self- improvement. A Gym Thing never hammers its message home, instead making its points with a brutal elegance" (**** The Scotsman).
“Dynamic and effective drama … treated with clarity and precision”
“Vallen’s sophisticatedly never feels the need to hammer home his message. It is through his use of dynamic and effective drama that he is able to achieve a weightier punch.” (**** Spy In The Stalls)
“A Gym Thing is fast-paced, effective, and masterful in many places” (**** ReviewsGate)
“A Gym Thing both educates as well as entertains and is much needed piece of theatre that should be shown widely.”
(Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation)
Vallen comments, "I am thrilled to bring A Gym Thing to a London audience following our exhilarating and heart-warming run at the Edinburgh Festival. The show is physically a challenge to perform and while I hope this entertains, it also highlights the lengths millennials will go to achieve the ultimate physique which has ever moving goalposts. Muscle Dysmorphia or Bigorexia affects 1 in 10 bodybuilding gym users and overall Body Dysmorphic Disorder has one of the highest rates of suicide of all the mental health disorders with 1 in 50 attempting suicide. I am very proud to be further spreading awareness around this debilitating disorder."
FULL CAST AND CREATIVES
TOM VALLEN - Writer / Producer / Will Shaw
@TomVallen
This is Tom’s debut piece of writing. As an actor theatre credits include: 'Bash' by Neil LaBute (Old Red Lion/ Trafalgar Studios) 'A Gym Thing' by Tom Vallen (Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh) TV credits include: 'Episodes' (BBC/ Showtime) 'Casualty' (BBC) 'Doctors' (BBC). Radio credits include: 'Tommies' (BBC Radio 4). Tom is Working Cast Productions artistic director and is delighted to be bringing the production to London.
JENNIFER BROOKES - Rebecca Harrison
@JennniferBrooke
Jennifer trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
TV credits include: Donna in WHITE GOLD Series 1 & 2 (BBC Two/Fudge Park); Rachel Hardy in HOLLYOAKS (Channel 4/Lime Pictures). Film credits include: Trixie Marks in MY NAME IS LENNY (Salon Pictures); Karina Richardson in ASTRAL (Craven Street Productions). Theatre credits whilst training include: Joan in TOUCHED; Evelyn Munn in THE CHILDREN'S HOUR; The Other Woman in TWO; Sarah in ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD; Duchess of York in RICHARD III; Catherine in A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE; Dana in THE ACID TEST.
PHILIP SCOTT-WALLACE - Director / Producer
@PScottWallace
Philip is co-artistic director and producer for Small Things Theatre. He is also a director and actor. A Gym Thing was his directorial debut and he is delighted to remount the production in London. As a producer his work includes The Stolen Inches, No Place For A Woman, Anything is Possible If You Think About It Hard Enough and Boots as well as curating events for UN Women’s HeForShe campaign for gender equality. He trained as an actor at LAMDA. Theatre credits include: ‘BASH’ by Neil LaBute (Trafalgar Studios), ‘The Ring Cycle’ and ‘Oedipus’ (The Scoop), ‘The London Cuckolds’ (The Pleasance Islington), ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ (GB Theatre). TV and Film includes: ‘Downton Abbey’ (ITV), ‘Paddy’ (London Short Film Festival) and ‘Ajintha’ (ICPPL, Indian Marahti Movie).
GABRIEL AKUWUDIKE - Jay Witter / Damon Collins
@AkuGabe
Gabriel trained at Drama Centre London.
Television includes: The Bisexual (Channel4/Hulu), Informer (Neal Street Productions/BBC) Theatre includes: No One Is An Island (Tangle Theatre), Troilus & Cressida (Sam Wanamaker Festival 2017 Shakespeare's Globe), Mary Barnes, The Caucasion Chalk Circle, As You Like It, Pretend It Away, Tartuffe and The Cherry Orchard (all for Drama Centre).
Film includes: X21 (The Wholls music video)
ADAM WELSH - Sound Designer
Adam is a sound designer, theatre maker and performer. He has worked internationally, regionally and on London’s West End. Notable work includes performing in the original West End cast of Dreamboats and Petticoats, War Horse in the West End, touring with Headlong Theatre in Anya Reiss’s Spring Awakening and appearing in The Silver Tassie for Druid at the Lincoln Centre Festival in New York.
He is an associate artist and founder member of the multi award winning theatre company Dead Centre, who have received international acclaim for their work.Other companies he has worked with include the Royal National Theatre, Barbican, the Schaubühne (Berlin), Druid, Live Theatre, Young Vic, Sage Gateshead, Nuffield Theatre, Bill Kenwright Ltd, The Yard and BAC. For his sound design, he received an Irish Times Theatre Award nomination in 2014. He is currently working on an EP to be released later this year.
SAULIUS VALIUNAS - Lighting Designer / Operator
Theatre includes: “The Observatory”, Vault Festival, London, 2015. “Spelling Bee”, Kraine Theatre, New York 2016. “Boys”, Vault Festival, London, 2018. “X-NN: Meet Market”, Vault Festival, London, 2018.
Producers: Working Cast Productions and Small Things Theatre
Twitter: @AGymThingPlay, @ThePleasance, @WorkingCastProd @SmallThingsTC
Supported by;
