The F Word - Avenue Magazine

When Keshia Cheesman and Bianca Miranda were majoring in drama at the University of Calgary, they struggled to find plays and monologues they could relate to. As fat women of colour, they didn’t see themselves reflected in a lot of existing material. So, when a professor told them they could create shows of their own, they were galvanized — it was the first step towards developing something for themselves.

Flash forward seven years, and the best friends and collaborators have co-created and star in The F Word, a Downstage production presented by Alberta Theatre Projects running at the Martha Cohen Theatre until February 19. The highly personal play chronicles Cheesman and Miranda’s friendship and their journey to self-acceptance and fat liberation through a variety of storytelling formats. “There’s a cabaret feel to it,” says Miranda. “We’ve got a fairy tale, a news segment, bite-sized lectures — but, ultimately, our friendship is the thread that people will follow.”

(Dominique Lamberton, Avenue Magazine)