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This is cabaret at its most resonant.
Michelle Pearson’s Skinny is a powerful, deeply engaging exploration of diet culture and society’s obsession with appearance. It’s delivered with warmth, wit and extraordinary musicality, balancing raw vulnerability with sharp humour and polished performance.
Pearson is a distinguished and award-winning international performer, and very much a master storyteller. Through popular songs, cleverly reworked with new lyrics, she traces a seamless narrative from childhood to adulthood, charting how body shame and the pursuit of thinness quietly, yet persistently shape a life. The way she weaves together song and story is compelling, cleverly crafting a show that is deeply considered, and flows effortlessly.
For anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Skinny hits particularly close to home.
Pearson revisits moments many will recognise. From being labelled “chubby” at six, to being told as a teen she had “childbearing hips”, the frustration of shopping in boutiques that don’t cater to “bigger girls”, and the relentless internal dialogue that follows into adulthood. Video excerpts of lived experiences from others punctuate the show, hitting hard the lifelong damage that has been done.
Throughout this show I drew in my breath as buried memories resurfaced. Many times, tears of anger, frustration and shared experience pricked my eyes.
Backed by an excellent four-piece band, the show sparkles musically, offering moments of humour while never losing its emotional core. Pearson’s voice is beautiful and commanding and her timing impeccable.
Skinny is a wonderful show. I highly recommend making the time to check this one out.
Trigger Warning: This show deals with body image issues, so if you have body dysmorphia or disordered eating in your life, please take care. Having said that, as someone who can relate – it was cathartic to watch.