116 Grams Play Satirizes Body Policing and Shame

Letícia Rodrigues's play, "116 Grams," presented at Zoo Southside in Edinburgh, offers a satirical examination of body policing and the pervasive shame associated with weight. The production centers on a character named Gorda, who, like Rodrigues herself, is Brazilian and has experienced societal judgment for being overweight throughout her life. Gorda embarks on a personal mission to lose 116 grams by the end of each performance, framing the show as both a theatrical piece and a training session.

The play opens with a striking visual: a smiling woman, portrayed as glamorous with bobbed blond hair, gleaming nails, and a fashionable red trouser suit, steps onto a weighing scale. She announces her current weight as 84kg. This initial act deliberately evokes the atmosphere of old-school diet clubs, drawing a parallel to the playwright's own experiences, including being taken to such a club by her mother at the tender age of eight. This opening sets a tone that is both personal and broadly relatable to anyone who has felt the pressure of societal beauty standards.

Rodrigues's performance as Gorda is deeply autobiographical, though dramatized. The character's journey is a vehicle for exploring profound themes of shame, rage, and the relentless surveillance of female bodies in contemporary society. The central conceit of losing exactly 116 grams by the show's conclusion serves as a powerful metaphor for the often arbitrary and unattainable goals imposed on women regarding their physical appearance. The weigh-in at the start and a subsequent weigh-out at the end of the hour-long performance underscore the performative nature of weight loss and the constant societal scrutiny that accompanies it.

"116 Grams" challenges audiences to confront the ways in which bodies, particularly female bodies, are policed, judged, and subjected to intense scrutiny. The play uses humor and raw emotion to dissect the psychological impact of these pressures, highlighting the rage and frustration that can stem from such experiences. By making the performance itself a site for this struggle, Rodrigues invites a shared experience with the audience, blurring the lines between performer and spectator, and between the personal and the political. The play's engagement with these themes positions it as a significant piece of contemporary theatre addressing social issues.