Body image in theatre: Analysing the representation of body image in Wicked and The Phantom of the Opera

Body image (the thoughts and feelings a person has regarding their body) has become an increasingly prevalent issue in our society in recent years. People who think negatively about their physical appearance are at risk of a number of different mental and physical health problems. The representation this issue receives through media can both positively and negatively impact people’s thoughts on the subject and as such, spreading awareness about the topic is vital in improving the effect it has on the public. Throughout history theatre has played an important part in bringing the issue of body image to light and representing it in a manner that we can relate to. Musicals in particular, with dance numbers which heavily involve the use of the body and can positively or negatively portray different body types, often illustrate the attitudes of a society towards this subject and can even have an influence on this attitude.

In this thesis I will examine the issue of body image as represented in two musicals, Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Both musicals represent and examine the issue of body image in different ways, illustrating the various problems men, women, and children in our society face with their beliefs about their bodies and the mental and physical health issues that can arise as a result of these beliefs. As theatre is often a reflection of our world, it is a medium well equipped to portray this issue in different ways, with positive representation that can assist people in overcoming anxieties about their bodies, and negative representation that serves as a warning of the dangers associated with a beauty obsessed culture.