A witty satire on fixation with body image and body care, Dear Body picks up where B for Body left off, continuing that most private dialogue of all, the one we have with ourselves. Silvestrini explores the great lengths to which men and women will go to achieve physical perfection. On a set designed by Fabrice Serafino, somewhere between a gym and a spa, with video, graphics and a specially commissioned score by David Coulter, this full-length work explores both the aspirations and the nightmares of the keep-fit fanatic. 

With distinctive animation by award-winning film-maker Rachel Davies, Dear Body is played out by six professional Protein dancers and an ensemble cast of amateurs drawn from across the local community.

Dear Body was co-produced with DanceXchange, commisioned by Swindon Dance, DanceXchange, Southbank Centre, Centre Choreographique National Roubaix Pas to Calais, Yorkshire Dance and Hextable Dance with support from the Brighton Dome and Wyvern Theatre. 

"Performances are very good, especially Sally Marie... her speech of triumph rings with genuine pathos."
Jenny Gilbert, Independent on Sunday.

"Luca Silvestrini's surreal, cartooning wit finds its ideal subject in Dear Body"
Judith Mackrell, The Guardian

"The only time I have found contemporary dance funny"
Brian Eno

"Dear Body is a satirical mortar shell... buy a ticket"
The Observer

"A funny, barbed consideration of the dangerous pursuit of the body beautiful and a brightly polished piece of dance theatre."
Donald Hutera, Time Out

"A rib-tickling disection of the quest for the body beautiful."
Keith Watson, Metro

"Bouncy, extremely clever and constantly entertaining."
The Times

Conceived and directed by
Luca Silvestrini
Devised and performed by
David Lloyd
Vicki Manderson
Sally Marie
Nuno Silva
Michael Spenceley
Sarah Storer
Music directed and composed by
David Coulter
Film and animation
Rachel Davies
Design
Fabrice Serafino
Lighting
Jackie Shemesh

Premiere
7 October 2008

Running time
70 minutes