Meet Flynn: He’s strong, he’s a boxer, and… gay. As if living in the shadow of his father’s failed boxing career wasn’t tough enough, he’s then cruelly outed. Shadow Boxing by James Gaddas is a challenging solo work exploring identity; through examining masculinity, violence, sexuality and vulnerability. It follows Flynn’s journey through the challenges he encounters, both inside and outside of the ring. In a minimalistic boxing setting performer Samuel Addison embodies 15 characters, as Flynn shares his story:
“We can’t be seen to cry, to feel, to love. Be loved.”
Enter the ring and join Flynn for his ultimate battle. Self-acceptance hits hard.
Shadow Boxing dives deep into Flynn’s experience and the raw, gritty world of masculinity. It challenges us to confront what drives men to violence and address their emotional turmoil. With staggering male suicide rates and rising gender-based violence, it’s a catalyst for crucial conversations about identity, respect, and change.
James Gaddas was commissioned to write Shadow Boxing in 1989 by Australian actor David Field, whose father was a boxer. The show premiered at The Stables Theatre in Darlinghurst, Sydney in January 1994. Since then, it has been performed widely; including at Edinburgh Fringe, the Brits off Broad- way Festival and the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2021 a streamed version produced by Room 15 Theatre was part of the United Solo Festival. This edgy, impactful production is the only Australian production since 2010. The themes and Flynn’s journey still resonate strongly and it has been thrilling audiences with its tour de force physicality.
Director Teresa Izzard said, “Shadow Boxing offers a potent experience, features a stunning performance and deals with confronting, timely subject matter. It challenges us to confront the roots of male violence and examine how we treat anyone who is different: is the only option to leave them all alone fighting for their lives?” Shadow Boxing won a Theatre and Performance award at Perth Fringe in 2024. Ultimately empowering, it is a visceral, emotional and intellectual roller coaster ride that leaves audiences breathless. Shadow Boxing punches way beyond the ring provoking conversations about tolerance, inclusion and the kind of world we can create together.
May 15 – 24
https://www.theatreworks.org.au/2025/shadow-boxing
