Soho Theatre, London
****
Charlotte
Josephine has crafted, and is now delivering, a genuinely excellent piece of
theatre, which incorporates all the rhythms and pace of a boxing match into an hour
and a half monologue. Her words jab and fall back, daze you, knock you down
only to lift you back up again with a funny observation. It is the
touching story of Chloe, an amateur boxer looking for Olympic glory whilst
coming to terms with a family tragedy.
It is an extremely refreshing piece with feminist leanings; Josephine explores
the way in which the female body can be used both in sport and on stage to
subvert and defy expectations. She points out in the preface that the play
was inspired by an unkind comment from a customer of hers, who implied that she
did not look “ladylike” whilst carrying some heavy boxes. This comment led her
to examine why women are still sometimes pigeon-holed into physical
stereotypes, and she expertly channelled her frustration into Bitch Boxer, a piece which also picks
up on the controversy surrounding women boxers being allowed to compete in the
Olympics for the first time.
Bryony Shanahan’s direction ensures that the monologue remains engaging
throughout; the incorporation of dance, boxing and simple props (a chair and
gym bag) support the narrative. The sound design and original music, provided
by Daniel Foxsmith, and the lighting, provided by Seth Rook Williams,
complement the piece perfectly, resulting in a scintillating production.
If
this excellent piece of theatre is anything to go by, Charlotte Josephine’s
company, Snuff Box Theatre, is a company to watch over in the next few years.
This production runs until 9th March 2013.
For more information: http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/bitch-boxer/
@sohotheatre @SnuffBoxTheatre
1 comment:
Excellent play and performance but it's around 50 minutes not the hour and a half mentioned
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