Bitch Boxer at Arcola Theatre

A boxing ring becomes the stage for this one-woman, one-hour performance. Bitch Boxer is Charlie Josephine’s debut play, directed by Prime Isaac. Jodie Campbell (BBC’s Boarders) plays Chloe Jackson, a young boxer preparing for the fight that could secure her place at the London 2012 Olympics. This will be the culmination of years of training, encouraged by her father, who raised her alone after Chloe’s mother left when she was eleven. He taught her that success comes through determination, discipline, and hard work. His teachings and support have kept Chloe tethered.

The show opens with a humorous, action-driven monologue in which Chloe recalls being locked out of her house in Leytonstone, a smart storytelling choice that immediately draws the audience into her lively world. The tone then shifts, as unexpected as grief: she reveals that on the same day her father died, just two weeks before her crucial bout. The man who taught her focus, and how to channel anger into boxing is gone at this pivotal moment in her life. Chloe does not doubt her ability; she knows she is talented. The ring remains her refuge, a space where she self-regulates, processes emotion and maintains control. It is outside the ring that she struggles, unable to let herself be fully looked after by her girlfriend Jamie, resisting rather than accepting her love.

The magic of theatre is fully at work here. Campbell seems completely inhabited by Chloe, forging a powerful connection with the audience through both what is spoken and what remains unspoken. A triumphant scream can suddenly soften into a searching glance towards the crowd, as if wondering who, if anyone, is there to celebrate with her. And, in the end, wearing a pair of trainers becomes a greater triumph than winning the fight itself.

If boxing can be solitary, theatre is collaborative, and Bitch Boxer demonstrates what happens when a cohesive creative team comes together to tell a story. Josephine’s writing is sharp and avoids over-explanation, balancing humour, action, and introspection. Isaac’s direction and Hazel Low’s design create a vivid, believable world in which both text and performance can thrive and come alive. Speaking of coming alive, Jessie Addinall’s lighting design is particularly striking, from marking shifts in time and mood to transforming the ring into a nightclub dancefloor.

From the outset, the audience feels in safe hands. The production proves that good storytelling does not require super elaborate sets or large budgets. Sometimes a single ring is enough.