'When that bell rings, your life is entirely in your hands.’
Come sit round the ring, as we transform The Mulberry Playhouse into the dark underground world of female boxing in our ensemble staging of ‘The Sweet Science of Bruising,’ an epic play about a tale of passion, politics and pugilism.
Four very different Victorian women are drawn into the world of female boxing by the eccentric Professor Sharp. Controlled by men and constrained by corsets, each finds an unexpected freedom in the boxing ring. As their lives begin to intertwine, their journey takes us through grand drawing rooms, bustling theatres and rowdy Southwark pubs, where the women fight inequality, as well as each other. But, with the final showdown approaching, only one can become the Lady Boxing Champion of the World…
'A fascinating, full-blooded play... takes a well-aimed swing at the politics of sex and class, putting female characters in the ring... the stage, and the story, belong to the women: a knockout'
The play premiered at Southwark Playhouse, London, in 2018, in a production by Troupe. Based on historical research into 19th century women's boxing, The Sweet Science of Bruising is a fascinating new play by Joy Wilkinson (Verity Bargate Award winner and new series writer for Doctor Who).
Trigger Warning: Contains scenes of a violent nature
