In focusing his one-man show solely on male as opposed to female body and image issues, writer and director Michael Feldman illuminates a subject that is often regarded as "taboo."
"MuscleBound," Feldman's one-man act, explores male self-image concerns - eating disorders, self-esteem conditions and muscle dysmorphia - through a series of live vignettes spliced with film footage. Feldman performed last night in Houston Hall's Class of '49 Auditorium.
Feldman, who performs for colleges across the country, said his objective is to "bring awareness" of image issues that he believes affect many men, but are hardly articulated.
"It's a very important issue that rarely gets talked about," said Steve McCann, University wellness coordinator.
Originally, Feldman explained, he created the show with the idea of including both male and female characters. However, he realized that disorders targeting women are discussed frequently, while male image issues receive little coverage.
Muscle dysmorphia, for example also called bigorexia, is a condition in which a person feels he is not muscular enough, and becomes obsessed with building muscle mass.
Feldman himself suffered from muscle dysmorphia and bases the characters in his show on both his own struggles and those of acquaintances who suffered from similar disorders.
The vignettes last night followed three characters: a director making a documentary about muscle dysmorphia who, in turn, develops the disease; a 19-year-old man with an eating disorder; and a physical trainer obsessed with his body.
Each character in the live performance was unsatisfied with his own image and became preoccupied with changing it: "It's as if beauty is running away from me, and I can never catch it," the 19-year-old character said.
The stories were exaggerated but still highlighted the serious conditions that affect men.
Although Feldman cautioned that going to the gym is not unhealthy, working out obsessively - to the point where one cancels other plans to go to the gym or won't eat without working out first - can become a disease.
"It's a fine line," he said. "When you're in control of it, it's a healthy thing, but when it's in control of you, it's not."
In overcoming his own image issues, Feldman said a strong "support system" made up of caring friends was necessary. With this help, he ultimately substituted his obsession over his body with his passion: talking about his experiences and performing for students.
