Photo by Kasia Burke
Inspired by the pioneering British female boxers who fought for their right to fight, Libby Liburd’s raucous and visceral new play, Fighter, combining theatre and live boxing, will play a special run at Stratford Circus Arts Centre from 25 to 27 April 2019.
Directed by Julie Addy, and featuring a cast of genuine young boxers, Fighter blurs boundaries in an unexplored style that will leave you on the edge of your ringside seat!
Single mum Lee is a fighter. She’s used to fighting the world, alone. No one’s in her corner, she’sdown but not out – yet. Then she steps into Tommy’s Gym and everything changes: plunged into the world of boxing, Lee’s fight really begins. What happens when all you can do is grit your teeth and keep moving forward?
Exploring ideas around overcoming adversity, Fighter inherently celebrates women’sresourcefulness and courage. It also questions perceptions of masculinity and femininity, more explicitly the perception of the role of boxing as a violent sport ‘against womankind’ and ‘not for a mother’. Fighter draws on the genuine legacy of the professional female boxers of the late 90s who faced discrimination, sexism and court cases in order to be allowed to fight.
The production of Fighter will feature young boxers selected from Fight for Peace’s Newham Academy. The young boxers will re-create an authentic boxing gym environment, where they will practice boxing training drills onstage.
While giving young boxers a chance to participate in a professional theatre production, audiences are equally being given a unique and exciting opportunity of experiencing an authentic gym environment, and in doing so encouraging the next generation of theatre goers.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
