Sydney Reviews

Photos – Marnya Rothe

Little separates boxing from legalized assault. As a sport its rules derive from the London Prize Ring Rules of 1743, the Revised London Prize Ring Rules of 1853, and finally the famous Queensberry rules for the Sport of Boxing of 1867. These rules exist to ensure a fair fight; a high priority in a gambling sport. Unlike martial arts, which are explicitly concerned with a sense of honour and humility, boxing is explicitly concerned with money. Ask Floyd “Money” Mayweather, the reigning world champion. If assault is your job I suppose you want to be paid well.

So what would drive an amateur – what would drive a woman – into boxing? That’s at the heart of English writer Charlotte Josephine’s gutsy exploration of a woman in the ring, Bitch Boxer on now at The Old 505.

Directed by Srisacd Sacdpraseuth, Bitch Boxer is an extended soliloquy with plenty of boxing, skipping, and laddish jokes. This is a spare, personal, one-woman play that deals with gender, identity, and the will to succeed. Telling the story of Chloe, an aspiring Olympian, Katherine Shearer is excellent and holds our focus throughout on a simple and evocative stage by Bethany Sheehan. The psychology of an elite athlete is explored and the dimensions of her emotions as a grieving daughter juxtaposed with the will to her own independence and self-worth.

Unfortunately, the production is undercut by Katherine Shearer’s inconsistent cockney (a limitation which could easily have been overcome by an Australian accent). Also, to use the words of Norman Mailer: “There is agony to elucidate even a small sense of the aesthetic that is boxing” and this production’s use of AV interludes for fight scenes is repetitive and somewhat overworked. You can’t really dramatise a spectator sport through powerpoint, but it’s easy enough to go with.

On the other hand, as Chloe emphatically proclaims: “Bollocks to all the haters... All I wanna do is box.” And box she does. Dancing and sparring her way through the sweet science and most of this play. Bitch Boxer is inspiring even if you know you’d rather not be there in the ring with (or against) her. Chloe is her own author, her own commentator, in a sport she makes her own. I wouldn’t say it’s brimming with insights, but against the ropes Bitch Boxer comes out on top.


Bull Ant Productions
Bitch Boxer
by Charlotte Josephine

Directed by Srisacd Sacdpraseuth

Venue: The Old 505 Theatre | 342 Elizabeth St Surry Hills, NSW
Dates: May 26 – 31, 2015
Bookings: www.trybooking.com/HKPT