Fat Club, a new musical comedy, is not about rotund Brad Pitt and Ed Norton look-a-likes fist fighting in a mouldy basement, but a simple story that aims to poke fun at the various types of people and situations revolving around the titular slimming club.
Anyone who has watched Little Britain will immediately recognize the evil, yet sad, club leader stereotype, alongside a girl that eats her feelings, a curvaceous (and self-confident) sexpot, a “chubby chaser”, a dowdy mummy, and a guy who comes along just to kill some time, flirt and take the mickey.
The show opens with an overture and introduction song (“I’ve Tried Every Single Diet”) in which we learn a bit about each character and the lengths they’ve gone to (or not) to loose a few pounds. The Nazi-like club leader inducts our cast and, over the course of several scenes (or “weeks” in the club), we follow each character through their personal journeys and evolving relationships with each other. The whole thing plays out like an elongated, but enjoyable, sit-com.
The music is a bit forgettable, but inoffensive, as is the vocal talent of the cast. The lyrics are alternately cute, functional, funny and repetitive, and could use a little more spice. I found myself longing for the zingy naughtiness of something like Avenue Q.
As fringe musicals go, Fat Club is not groundbreaking, or terribly exciting, but it is entertaining and there are enough funny moments to engage all but the most critical of theatregoers.
Scene from Little Britain, Series 2, Episode 2.
