The Phoenix Gym, Llanrumney, Cardiff
Tue 23-Sat 27 July
It’s not often that the disconnected worlds of boxing and theatre converge, and almost unheard of that art is taken to an actual boxing gym. Shadow Boxing, the first project from new production company Broken Souls, does just that.
Written by Bad Girls actor James Gaddas, the one-man piece tells the story of Flynn, a young boxer out to avenge his father’s humiliation in the ring, confronting himself and finding his true identity while training for a fight. This version sees James Ashton directing his Broken Souls co-founder, Pobol y Cwm and Hinterland star Alex Harries, the actor who secured the rights for the production while working with Gaddas on Emmerdale.
Although associated with Chapter, the piece is site-specific and takes place in Llanrumney’s Phoenix boxing gym. “The audience come into the world of the boxer,” says director James Ashton. “We are shipping people from Chapter by bus as though you are going off to a fight.” The links with the pugilist community don’t end with the location. Actor Harries, a former amateur boxer, underwent an intense training regime. “He’s running, he’s training, he’s doing all the things a boxer would to prepare for a fight. He’s lost a stone and a half in a week!”
The training is not unwarranted. The hour-long production puts the actor through his paces, both physically and mentally, leading to something uniquely challenging that confronts the entire spectrum of human emotion. “He’s going to give a monologue and be extremely active at the same time,” Ashton explains, “it’s going to be like going for a fight and trying to deliver Shakespeare at the same time.”
Shadow Boxing is the first of what Ashton hopes is a series of fresh and creative works from Broken Souls. “The idea was to create a company which creates new and exciting work that excites people and brings new audiences in.” The pair plan to alternate between roles for each production, so expect to see Harries directing Ashton on stage in the next offering.
Tickets: £8-£12. Info: 029 2030 4400 / www.chapter.org JON DOYLE