Award-winning drama that asks tough questions about anorexia

Eve O’Connor of Dublin based Sunday’s Child Theatre Company battled an eating disorder in her teenage years. So, when it came writing about anorexia for Overshadowed, the latest production from Sunday’s Child, she was in a unique position of being able to offer a personal insight into the illness, which she overcame thanks to therapy she received.

Overshadowed, which The Irish Times described as “a dark, compassionate, sometimes funny exploration of eating disorders”, won the Fishamble Award for Best Writing at last year’s Dublin Fringe Festival and was also nominated for The First Fortnight Mental Health Award.

It’s now coming to Galway and will be performed at the Town Hall Theatre next Monday, October 3, at 8pm

Eating disorders are sorely misunderstood – much like depression, they are seen to be a personal failing of the sufferer rather than an illness which strikes indiscriminately, Eve notes.

The aim of Overshadowed is to engage young people in a conversation about anorexia, to combat the stigma that surrounds this important subject.

The play centres on Imogene, who used to be lively and outgoing. She used to fancy lads, have curves and love food. Now, however, she has become withdrawn, gaunt, and obsessed with exercise.

The reason for the change can be attributed to her new ‘best friend’ Caol, (the word means ‘narrow’ in Irish) who is invisible to everyone except Imogene, but whose influence is overwhelming. Caol will not rest until Imogene has been reduced both emotionally and physically to a shadow of her former self.

Overshadowed is the latest drama from Sunday’s Child, a company that wants to create vibrant work, dealing with issues “that are often swept under the carpet”, especially issues relating to young people.

It’s run by Eva and Hildegard Ryan, and so far, the group has produced and toured six plays across Ireland and the UK including My Name is Saoirse, which was also written by Eve and deals with a young woman who gets pregnant and goes to England for an abortion.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.