A one-woman show, ‘Food Fight’ addresses eating disorders

    Millions of Americans — mostly women — suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating.

    A one-woman performance at the Act 2 Playhouse in Ambler Saturday tackles this tough topic.

    “Food Fight,” written and performed by Philadelphia therapist Judy Freed, chronicles her personal journey of recovery.

    One of the pieces in the hour-long play is called “The F Word.” In it, Freed illustrates the dysfunctional relationship she had with food.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    “Food,” she announces, raising her arms, seemingly beckoning friends to her table, and stirring an imaginary pot. 

    “Festive, fun, flavorful, family, friends, food,” she says.

    She turns the other way, looking distraught.

    “Forbidden, fattening, fatal, fearful, frightening,” she adds.

    Freed says writing the play helped her own recovery.

    “I think it’s incredibly powerful to take a piece of suffering, personal suffering, and make art out of it, however one does that,” she says.

    She says while it addresses a difficult subject matter, the play tries to strike a balance. “It’s not all dark, it’s not all intense. There’s humor. It’s crucial to laugh and find the funny moments within the suffering.”

    Freed says one of her main goals is to take the shame and secrecy out of eating disorders. After each performance, audience members are encouraged to share their own struggles.

    Click here for more information and tickets.

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal