***UPDATE***
New UK TOUR DATES. Find out here
“Food is a gift and excuse to be with our love ones”
Comments on “Eating Myself”, solo performance by Pepa Duarte. Peruvian actor, writer, and theatremaker based in London.
Food magically takes us back home evoking memories through its aroma, taste, and the people we share it with. This is precisely what Pepa Duarte, an experienced Peruvian actress, brings to the stage in her play “Eating myself” ; the ability to make the audience feel like they are part of the family. However, this theatre play is not merely a tale of heritage and family, but an exploration of the perpetual struggle for acceptance and the challenges of being an outsider, particularly as a migrant woman.
Pepa has a clear mission “My goal as an artist is pushing boundaries to make unique, experiential, and challenging pieces responding to the demands of social change. My work responds to reality through vulnerability, commitment, and entertainment. Often exploring the themes of migration, feminism, and tradition. Community, family, belonging”.
As an immigrant living in London, Pepa found herself on a journey: a journey inside herself, to discover experiences of sexism, dieting culture, and gender societal norms. Ultimately, she learned that food could be shared with a new family around a new table. And in her play, you are invited to taste it.
The work of Pepa is truly exquisite. As she performs on stage, she commands the scenery with such mastery that it’s almost impossible to look away. And to top it off, she cooks while performing, adding yet another layer of talent. At the end of the play, she invites the audience to share the food she’s prepared, creating a truly immersive experience. As a Latin American migrant in London, I felt a strong connection to her story, and it was hard not to burst into tears.
Tell me more!
Pepa Duarte is a Peruvian actor, writer, and theatremaker based in London. UKNA Selected artist. Award winner (OFFCommendation) for ‘Eating Myself’. Currently working with Old Vic Theatre, Kit Theatre, Tender & Education, and West End in Schools, amongst many other organisations.
***UPDATE***
New UK TOUR DATES. Find out here