Sad About The Cows by Michelle Payne presented by CASPA Arts
A one act play written by Michelle Payne about anorexia set in Essex.
A story of Ariana Grande, Victoria’s Secret models and what happens if you succumb to the temptation of Milky Bar Buttons…
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Sad About The Cows by Michelle Payne is a dark comedy about female body image. It follows the story of Essex girl and aspiring makeup artist Rachel through growing up, discovering an authentic identity and how to squeeze into jeans with a 24 inch waist.
Meet Rachel, a girl obsessed with consuming, calorie-counting and her career, as she navigates her way through modern life to becoming a mature, grown-up woman.
Sad About the Cows transferred to the Tristan Bates Studio following its success as part of the John Thaw Initiative Working Class Season with Actor Awareness earlier this year.
According to BEAT, 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder. Around 75% of those affected by an eating disorder are female. Recent research from the NHS information centre showed that up to 6.4% of adults displayed signs of an eating disorder (Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, 2007).
The play is written and performed by Michelle Payne, and is based on her own experience, addressing the stigma and secrecy attached to eating disorder illnesses.
Part of the John Thaw Initiative
[Tristan Bates Theatre]
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"Provides an often neglected perspective of the self, the effects upon the singular individual, as opposed to the common collective, of drowning in an ocean of sociopolitical and ecological concerns."
The Theatre Reviewer
"A really engaging piece that women everywhere will definitely recognise and empathise with. Michelle Payne utterly sells it, both as playwright and actor."
The View From The Circle
"A well researched, expertly crafted look into the negative effect social media can have on our society.”"
Flat Cap Theatre
Cast and Creatives
Written and Performed by Michelle Payne
DIRECTOR: Natasha Kathi-Chandra
PRODUCER: Heather Ralph
ASSISTANT DIR: Damilola Mohammed
SOUND DESIGN: Ruoxi Jia
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All photographs by Stephanie Claire Photography