“Bitch Boxer” by Charlotte Josephine – Directed by George Economou & performed by Elina Rizou

Directed by George Economou, Elina Rizou will become Chloe Jackson in Charlotte Josephine’s play, Bitch Boxer, which will be presented at the Black Box Hall of the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation on the 17th of October. The play is scheduled to run a 12 show course.

London 2012. Women’s boxing has been given it’s first ever pedestal in Olympic Games history. At Stratford, a ten minute walk from her east London neighborhood and Chloe Jackson is ready. Firmly and steadily, her father has spent the past ten years coaching her, preparing her for just this moment. Their big game strategy has been planned out meticulously. Her fists are ready to throw her opponent off the ring. The phone rings. Three words and Chloe’s world turns to shambles. But Chloe is a boxer, a fighter and there’s one last game between her and the Olympic gold.

Filled with the power, danger, adrenaline and twists of a unique and irresolute boxing game, but mostly with the struggle of life itself, Bitch Boxer is an insightful, witty, daring and uniquely sensitive piece of writing. It is a play that shines at points and wins with a knock out.

Bitch Boxer won the Holden Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013

About the play
Meet Chloe, 21 from Leytonstone. She likes the simple things in life: cherry sambuca, hairbrush-in-the-mirror karaoke with Rihanna and winding her Dad up. London, 2012. Women will step into the Olympic boxing ring for the very first time. And it’s in Stratford. Down the road. As Chloe trains for the fight of her life, she is left winded by two life-changing events. But Chloe is a boxer, a fighter and there’s one last game between her and the Olympic gold. Unexpectedly wounded, in a man’s world, can she prove she’s still worth the title?

Cast & Creatives
Translation – Daphne Economou
Direction – George Economou
Lighting design – Giannis Drakoularakos
Music – George Economou
Assistant Director – Panayotis Kafousias
Boxing Coach – Giannis Aidiniotis
Starring – Elina Rizou

Reviews

Sweat-slick and tough, yet sweet and gifted with terrific timing.
★★★★ Times

Sparkily written, feistily performed. ★★★★ Evening Standard

An immediate reaction to the way society perceives how women should look and what they should do [Bitch Boxer] has been pummelled and punched into a near-perfect piece of writing, but it still retains a healthy dose of that raw anger ★★★★ Daily Telegraph

Captures the excitement and vulnerability of youth on the brink of adulthood. The writing is fully alive. ★★★★  Guardian