When i was about 18 or so I went to a dinner party and found myself sitting next to a guy (a bit older, quite hot), who worked for Shell Oil (the bureaucratic side of things). I literally had to clasp my mouth shut to stifle the groan that rumbled from the depths of my consciousness, and pretty much wanted to gauge my eyes out of my head, but resigned myself to enduring what i thought would be a long, tedious night. Strangely though, it was anything but, as this boy was so enthusiastic, excited and eloquent when talking about what he did. Major lesson learned... even things which can seem interminably dull can become vividly entertaining and fascinating if in the hands of someone interesting.
And so we come to boxing. A play about boxing to be exact, which i saw on Sunday night at the end of a very long weekend, and which, despite my misgivings, pumped me full of energy, excitement, tremulous emotion, wonder, amazement and heartbreak. Beautiful Burnout was the toast of this year's Edinburgh Festival, a play that seemingly got everyone talking excitedly; in the papers, on television, by word of mouth. And the talk wasn't just talk, it materialised into action too, and its follow up national tour began last week at York Hall, in Bethnal Green - a beautifully restored 1920s gymnasium (that now plays host to bona fide boxing matches), how apt. the stage that had been set up for this play was a rotating boxing ring round which the audience sat, and which was the scene for five young wannabe boxers who were each propelled into boxing for different reasons - fame, money, glory, revenge, status, acknowledgement, anger - and who wanted to make their name with their fists, but who each travelled down different paths on their individual quests. It's also about motherhood - and the animal protectiveness that is challenged so sharply when boxing comes into play. It's also about nurture in a broader sense of the word, and fairness (or unfairness) of fate, sex, rules and chance, and lastly it's about love. It's a complex mix of issues explored with a deft lightness of touch and that feels anything but confusing - it's funny, above all, even though the sucker punch hits you square on with shocking, and unexpected seriousness.
It's incredibly intense a theatrical experience; yes, it's crammed into 90 mins but it's not only that. there's a frenetic, jagged edge to the dialogue - a sort of jilted flow to the language, like boxing jabs coming thick and fast. It's also very physical, as you'd expect, but this is translated into a theatre friendly form by creating intricately choreographed dance routines from the boxing moves and training exercises, which are set to music by dance legends Underworld. Strobe lights and flashing scenes projected from TV screens add to the hot, sweaty, frantic, heady nightclub-cum-fight atmosphere. It's truly intoxicating. and thought provoking, and moving - it knocks you out as you could only hope for. if you can, you must see it.
Here's where it on in the coming weeks...
York Hall Leisure Centre, London
16/09/2010 - 02/10/2010
Rothes Halls, Glenrothes
13/10/2010 - 16/10/2010
Crucible, Sheffield
03/11/2010 - 13/11/2010
Minerva Theatre, Chichester
16/11/2010 - 27/11/2010
St Ann's Warehouse, New York
25/02/2011 - 27/03/2011
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