Review: ALISON SPITTLE: BIG, Soho Theatre

“I’ve been thinking about being fat”

Alison Spittle: BIG begins with Spittle entering the stage wearing a costume made out of colourful loofahs, before pulling it off to reveal a sequined outfit underneath. But this isn’t just a costume reveal - Spittle confesses to the audience that, while she is still fat (and has been since she was eight), she has recently lost a considerable amount of weight. BIG is about not only the weight loss journey, but Spittle’s relationship with her body over the years. 

There has been a change in the body positity movement, with Spittle mourning Adele’s weight loss (the fat community’s 9/11, she claims) and hoping that Lizzo doesn’t go through a dramatic weight loss transformation. She talks about her experiences at fat liberation meetings and some of the things she has read about being fat. Spittle’s role model when it comes to body positivity? None other than Shrek, which leads to a hilarious retelling of a time when Spittle went to Shrek’s Adventure with her friends. 

But why all this talk of weight? Recently, while on a train, a man called Spittle a “fat bitch” after she rejected his catcalling. It may not be the first time Spittle has faced situations like this, but it’s one that certainly makes her stop and think, especially when being combined with being quite literally too big for her boots at a French ski resort. Since then, she’s lost the equivalent weight of an XL Bully or an orchestra harp - depending on your class. 

As there tends to be when it comes to the topic of weight, there are some darker momets in BIG, in which Spittle talks about the medical issues she has faced over the years, including a particularly scary diagnosis of septicemia. Those who are fat will be able to find BIG more relatable than other audience members - as a fellow fat person, I found myself commiserating with Spittle at multiple points as she discusses using food as a coping mechanism, and especially relating to her segment on how people treat you nicer once you have lost weight. It is frustrating to hear audience members laugh at some of the more serious aspects of the show, but that doesn’t take away from moments of importance. 

There are also other subjects brought up throughout the show, typically funny anecdotes from Spittle’s life. One of Spittle’s passions if the show Pointless - fans of the comedian will know that she competed on Pointless Celebrities - no spoilers! Spittle also discusses her thirteen year relationship with her boyfriend, questioning the subject of marriage and revealing to the audience how she will get a white dress for the wedding. There’s also a segment in which Spittle reminscenes about going to Thorpe Park with fellow “mentally ill girlie” comedians in an attempt to keep one from thinking about suicide. It’s a great bit that leads to the best line of the night, which happens to tie into the subject of weight - “We at Thorpe Park respect all bodies, but gravity doesn’t.”

Alison Spittle: BIG is a hilarious - if at times, bittersweet - hour from the comedian about her life experiences and how they have been tied to her weight. The show has relatable bits for all audience members with particularly meaningful moments  for those who have struggled with their body images. Spittle’s favourite show may be Pointless, but she’s certainly making a point with this poignant performance.