A play which a North East actress wrote about fatphobia and classism after she was repeatedly rejected from casting calls has been selected for Edinburgh Fringe.
Rachel Stockdale began writing 'Fat Chance' after she was mistaken for being pregnant by a worker in a restaurant while on her honeymoon. The 31-year-old was frustrated with the way she had been treated over the years due to being overweight and coming from a benefit class background.
Rachel, who grew up in central Middlesbrough but now lives in North Tyneside, has studied dance at Middlesbrough College, performance at Northumbria University in Newcastle and professional acting at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) in Greater Manchester.
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She was stunned when she entered her play into Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which takes place over four weeks in August this year, and she was selected to perform at Jack Dome at the Pleasance Theatre.
Rachel said: "People want to see it and people want to talk about the issues. If I can open individual people's eyes to fatphobia and classism then I have done my job. I think a lot of people assume that people have the same opportunities and upbringing as them and that's not the case. I'm really passionate about bringing it to the forefront and making people talk about it."
Rachel said that when she attended auditions people would "switch off" after seeing her body and ask her if she had thought about dropping her accent. She said that she became so frustrated with how she was treated she decided to describe herself as a "fat, northern, benefit class actress" on social media.
She said: "When I came into the industry I was constantly getting told 'you're fat, northern and female and you can only be two of them things.' I was only about 23 and I wanted to do well so I said 'thank so much for the advice.' In my late 20s I thought this isn't advice so now I ask for 'acting advice'.
"I used to turn up to things and people's faces would drop when they saw my body. Their faces would switch off and glaze over when I was auditioning because they had already decided I wasn't suitable. I have been told 'this is the dress we have got for the character, can you fit into that?'
She continued: "In terms of being benefits class, it always seems to be skinny women who play these parts when in reality most benefits class women I know are plus size. In terms of casting, they expect people from our background to look malnourished.
"There are fat people who are anorexic and fat people addicted to drugs. There's a lot of disabled people overweight but you never see a fat disabled person on screen. 64% of people in the UK are overweight or obese. You're lucky if you see one person on stage that's fat within a whole cast. There's no reason you should have to lose weight for a part, no reason at all. It was really disheartening and I tried so hard.
"I have been asked 'have you ever thought about getting rid of your accent?' I used to try and tone it down but now you either like it or you don't. It's so interesting when at the top of the industry diversity and difference is really celebrated but when you're at the bottom, that's sort of kicked out of you."
Rachel said she was given funding by the Arts Council to produce her play but that rules mean they are unable to fund her performances at the festival in Edinburgh. She is holding a fundraising event and she has started a GoFundMe page to help her to raise the cash which she still needs to perform at the event this summer.
She has already raised just over £1,200 but she still needs another £6,000 to cover the total cost. The funding will cover four week accommodation in student halls for Rachel and her stage manager, posters and leaflets, PR and a payment to Edinburgh Council which will allow her to advertise her show.
Rachel plans to hold previews of Fat Chance at Middlesbrough Town Hall and the Live Theatre in Newcastle prior to attending the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The shows at the Live Theatre will take place on July 22 and July 23 and will cost £10 for adults and £8 for concessions. Those attending must be aged 16 and over.
A fundraising night is also taking place at The Central Bar in Gateshead, where she will give a sneak peak of the show, on June 17 and June 18 at 7.30pm. People are asked to pay what they feel comfortable donating.
Rachel said: "It can be a life changing experience but you can't get Government funding. I think everyone needs representing and it doesn't stop with me."
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