WRESTLELADSWRESTLE
“MY NAME IS JENNI JACKSON.
I AM THE UNDER 50KG BRITISH JUDO CHAMPION.
TONIGHT THE SAFE WORD IS...”
WRESTLELADSWRESTLE IS A NEW PERFORMANCE COMBINING THEATRE, DANCE, JUDO, AND THE THEATRICALITY OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING IN A JOYFUL RECLAMATION OF SPACE.
INSPIRED BY JENNI'S BOLIVIAN MOTHER, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, THE ROCK, BOLIVIAN CHOLITA WRESTLING, AND HER REAL LIFE TEENAGE JUDO CAREER, WRESTLELADSWRESTLE EXPLORES A ‘HISTORICAL’ MOMENT OF RACISM SHE WITNESSED HER MOTHER ENDURE- AFTER WHICH, HER MOTHER TOOK HER TO A JUDO CLUB. JENNI BECAME A TEENAGE JUDO CHAMPION, REPRESENTING THE UK.
THIS NEW WORK IS AN EXAMINATION OF CONTESTED SPACE THROUGH AN UNRELIABLE NARRATOR WITH A CRASH MAT. INVESTIGATING THE MYTH OF ‘EMPOWERMENT’ THROUGH JOYFUL PLAYFIGHTING, JENNI IS JOINED ON STAGE BY A GANG OF UP TO 30 WOMEN, A DRUMMER AND ONE WHITE MAN.
EXPLORING THIS CHILDHOOD MEMORY, JENNI IS INTERRUPTED BY A MAN. THEY FIGHT. THE STORY IS RETOLD, AND TWO MORE OPPONENTS ARRIVE IN THE SPACE, BUT THIS TIME THEY ARE WOMEN. WITH EVERY RETELLING, MORE AND MORE OPPONENTS ARRIVE UNTIL THERE ARE 30 WOMEN IN THE SPACE. AN ALMIGHTY GIRL GANG!
BORROWING THE FORM OF A ROYAL RUMBLE, JENNI IS ASSEMBLING A GANG OF WOMEN OF ALL AGES/ABILITIES, WHO WILL BE TRAINED TO PLAYFIGHT WITH HER. THE GANG WILL BE AN ENSEMBLE OF NON-PROFESSIONAL PARTICIPANTS, RECRUITED LOCALLY THROUGH AN EXCITING PROGRAMME OF ENGAGEMENT.
THE PRODUCTION USES INTEGRATED CREATIVE CAPTIONING, EMBEDDED AUDIO DESCRIPTION, LIVE CAMERA FEED AND A COUPLE OF CRASH MATS (OF COURSE).
WRESTLELADSWRESTLE PLAYS WITH THE EXHILIRATION OF A SPORTS SPECTACLE, AND ASKS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO IS ENTITLED TO PLAY WITH VIOLENCE, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO 'EMPOWER' YOURSELF.
GIRL GANG
The ‘Girl Gang’ form an integral part of the work performing alongside Jennifer, together and in a co-operative space, the work explores themes of empowerment and intersectional feminism through a dramaturgy of an increasing assembly of women and non-binary people who reclaim the theatre space.
WRESTLELADSWRESTLE’s concept touring model sees a new gang and Wrestle Captain are recruited locally to each presentation, the process of training and meeting the material with a new group of participants is an evolving and iterative practice, which responds to and is changed by each group that participates in the work. The training and performance is part judo training session, part theatre act, and part pro-wrestling meet.
The process of making WRESTLELADSWRESTLE draws upon her extensive work as a choreographer and performer in the UK. The gang work closely with Jennifer, as she shares her practices relating to consent, making the work accessible, building and interrogating empowerment, creating community through ensemble theatre practice, as well as an introduction to the physical and choreographic languages in the performance.
Credits
The creation and presentation of WRESTLELADSWRESTLE has been supported by Jerwood New Work Award, Barbican OpenLab, MGCFutures, DARE Festival/Upstart Theatre, Evolve Oxford Playhouse, ARC Stockton, Sheffield Crucible (Bank Residency), Battersea Arts Centre, Cambridge Junction, and Royal Exchange Theatre.
Devised and written by Jennifer Jackson with Simon Carroll Jones.
Additional material devised with the company.
Creative Team
Performer Jennifer Jackson
Performer Simon Carroll Jones
Performer/ Wrestle Captains Annie Rogers, Lucy Haighton, Pepa Duarte, Bar Groisman
Drummer Isobel Odelola
Design Consultancy Katie Scott
Lighting Designer & Creative Captions Sarah Readman
Video Design idontloveyouanymore
Sound Design & Composition Jose Guillermo Puello
Outside Eye Sarah Frankcom
Dramaturg Sarah Dickenson
