written by Mary Colin Chisholm and Marcia Kash
2 Acts, 7F/2M, 110 minutes
A “coming of middle-age” comedy with great roles for women with a range of ages, ethnicities and body types, A Belly Full premiered in the UK at The Mill at Sonning in May, 2019, and at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, ON, in spring 2020.
SYNOPSIS: The self-effacing Jane and her over-achieving best friend Marnie show up at the wrong church basement, and find themselves joining a belly dancing class, where they meet an oddball group of women. Under the guidance of their exotic teacher, the colourful Shalimar, the women begin to overcome their body-image hang-ups while forming a close bond. But as they learn to jiggle, they must also juggle their relationships with one another, their families and their classmates, tasks complicated by Jane’s agoraphobic husband and Marnie’s growing bespoke baking business.
When infidelity strains their loyalties, they are pushed to re-evaluate and redefine themselves, finally trusting their guts to lead them through the unpredictable dance that is life.
What the critics say…
“Mary Colin Chisholm and Marcia Kash explore many and various human situations in this sweet, funny play..” The Slotkin Letter“…exactly the sort of material to delight audiences… a fusion of two popular genres with its heart ever in the right place.” —Christopher Gray, Oxford Times
“I’ve seen a lot of productions at The Mill at Sonning over the years, and I’m delighted to say this world premiere has shimmied its way to the top of my list of favourites. This is a hip-wiggling hit!” —Tim Masters, The Man in the Grand Circle
“…the vibrant story of how seven women plucked from different paths of life are brought together by the art of belly dancing… A Belly Full is empowering, poignant and undeniably heroic. —Taz Usher, Wokingham Today
“…a bit Calendar Girls-y, a bit Stepping Out-y, in that it’s all about how going to a bellydance class brings friendship, personal growth and empowerment to a group of women from all walks of life… very true to our own experiences of learning and teaching bellydance… warm-hearted and positive and represented a real cross-section of the kind of students we often see in our classes.” —Beatrice Curtis, Egyptian Dance Teacher
A BELLY FULL IS ALSO A SCREENPLAY
DEVELOPED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM TELEFILM CANADA
