A new theatre company based at The Gate in Cardiff. We started with 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in the summer of 2010 described as "an impressive début" and "well worth watching out for" and followed with Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' and 'Romeo & Juliet' to a great reception. See our press page for reviews, keep up to date with Bare Knuckle's first film, 'Ghost' and our involvement with National Theatre's Connections right here at bareknuckletheatre.com!

   We've just finished performing 'The Grandfathers' by Rory Mullarkey as part of National Theatre's Connections project and are eagerly awaiting the results. We are also planning our productions for the next 12 months. If you want to get involved, or if you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail us at mail@bareknuckletheatre.com

 

Monday 5th March

Attention!

Our boots are expertly polished and you could bounce a coin off our immaculately-made beds this week; Bare Knuckle Theatre is standing to attention for our first outing with the National Theatre Connections project. It's been a gruelling few weeks for this young cast, training for the physical intensity of the production while developing characters and drilling lines. But the work is nearly done and the big push approaches... with just a few days to go til curtain up on this exciting production, Bare Knuckle Theatre is delighted to be expanding to other venues, including St Davids College on the 8th and 9th March and the Wales Millennium Centre on the 26th. We were lucky enough to get our first choice in the list of plays available for Connections and we will be performing Rory Mullarkey's 'The Grandfathers'.

'The Grandfathers' follows eight young conscripts and their Sergeant on their journey through the military machine, where they learn to work as a unit, deal with fear and loss and, most pertinently, learn to ignore the dark. An intimate performance with a mix of monologues and intense physical performance, this crackling script motors along at a great pace and delivering comic highs and harrowing lows throughout. Performed by a strong cast of up and coming young actors, as many of whom as possible we hope will return for future Bare Knuckle productions, the engaging themes of the script are approached with sensitivity, humour and humility. The language may be a little tough on the ears of some parents but the individual and group performances of this exciting cast are not to be missed. 

In true Bare Knuckle style, there have been one or two hiccups along the way. We've seen one or two minor injuries and obstacles in the past but this time around, Kol, played by Jack Hayward (appearing on the poster to your left), broke our record and his arm in in a skirmish with a skateboard just a few weeks ago. But trooper mentality swiftly kicked in (alongside the painkillers, we imagine!) and Jack is refusing to let it stop him. Indeed, Jack will be displaying quite an outstanding talent for one-armed press-ups during the performance, for which we applaud him. With one hand, obviously. Harry Williams had a few weeks in Hospital also but is now back, fighting fit and eager to get his character, Kost, onto the stage. The commitment and talent shown by this cast needs to be seen to believed, so get your tickets now and eyes front for Bare Knuckle Theatre's first step towards the National. Fall In! 

 

Wednesday 14th December

Closer Encounters

   Sex, dishonesty, betrayal, the comfy sofas and coffee on tap of the Gate cafe and a shed-load of curse words make for a dazzling departure from the nine to five: if you’re at a loose end between the 14th and the 17th of December, forget the pre-Christmas stress of precision bauble placement and join us for a brutally honest look at the lives and loves of four messed-up Londoners. Loudly applauded as an exquisite comedy of sexual politics, Closer bares the flaws and the fortes of relationships with a charm and frankness which suits the Bare Knuckle style down to a tee.

   A drastic departure from reinventing Shakespeare for a modern audience, the candid language and adult themes of Patrick Marber’s contemporary classic are a playground for this well-seasoned Bare Knuckle cast. Steered by the excellent guest direction of old-Bare-Knuckle-flame Adam Neale, this rehearsal process has been distinctly collaborative, with the cast encouraged to ‘one-up’ each other regularly to find the funniest delivery or the most heart-wrenching performance. Being one of the lucky few allowed a fly on the wall preview I can promise audiences that the results of such friendly rivalry are all in our favour. Four honest and hilarious performances await us at the Gate, and the fact that rehearsals have so often bled into “my God, is that the time?!” discussions (all in the name of building character, you understand... even if wine was frequently involved... ) means that a genuinely bonded cast can’t wait to share their intimate and infectiously frank production with us.

The viral campaign, as contagious as ever for a Bare Knuckle production, has seen the cast posting some gorgeous rehearsal stills on new (and current BK favourite) social networking site, bareknucklecast.Jux.com. Not forgetting the now standard @BareKnuckleCast twitterfeed updating our followers on all the latest rehearsal gossip and our noisy Closer presence on facebook for all to enjoy. Check out the Bare Knuckle Theatre Group on facebook to see a lovely preview article in Buzz Magazine!

So, while challenging for the easily offended, I promise the swearing is forgivable for the funny, frank performance. In fact, to be honest, even if you can’t forgive the swearing, the steaminess or the swearing (it’s worthy of two mentions – and let that serve as the parental warning), it’s easily forgotten amidst a wonderful script that will make you laugh, reflect and, most of all, glad you braved the cold to get here. Bundle up and out you come.

Tickets are selling out fast, so get yours now by clicking on the link on the left or calling The Gate on 029 2048 3344!

 

Friday 21st October

Year One

Despite a hard earned break from the stage after the success of Romeo and Juliet in July, it's been a crazy few weeks at Bare Knuckle HQ. Simon took some time off (for like a week... and by time off, we mean he slept. A lot.), before diving straight into the planning of the plethora of upcoming projects, Marisa put down the conductor’s baton, picked up a backpack and shot off to Europe to explore and Ingrid went from Bastable to Watson in the most stylish of fashions! The dearly beloved were welcomed to a truly spectacular reception at Margam Park on the 12th August, and what better way to mark the special occasion than with a masked ball? The costume was beautiful, the music infectious and the company delicious and Bare Knuckle were delighted to have been a part of our lovely choreographer’s Big Day – even more so because it seemed only appropriate to crack out the wildly joyful Ceilidh for a reception treat (a particular highlight of which was watching Ingrid tackle the tricky bits in her wedding dress!). Huge, heartfelt congratulations to Mr and Mrs Watson, who celebrated their honeymoon in Florida amongst alligators, storms and, naturally, Harry Potter World!

Marisa’s European jaunt saw her travel forth and back and forth again on planes, trains, and automobiles. Following in the carbon footsteps of big brother and R&J Stage Combat Instructor, James, who is currently teaching English in China, she sought out the best of France, Italy, Germany and Belgium and is ready to go visit Wall the Elder (lovingly dubbed the Great Wall of China – aren’t we hilarious?) in the New Year.

The late summer was a time for Bare Knuckle to kick back and reflect on its first year as a company. Our first performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream on 10th July 2010 set the standard and we've worked hard to top that level of quality ever since. Twelfth Night followed in the New Year of 2011, receiving some stand-out reviews and attracting some new faces to the Bare Knuckle ranks. We've seen company members like Steve Jones, who gave a great performance as Feste, move on to great success in London working for MSN Money and Tom Barker, our recent Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, embrace the theatre bug and start his degree in Drama at the University of Greenwich. 

Looking ahead to 2012, we're very excited to be taking part in the National Theatre's Connections project as well as giving our best on the stage as we head toward our second birthday. First on the hit list and drawing a close to our 2011 schedule is Patrick Marber's Closer, to be performed at The Gate, Keppoch Street. Noted as "One of the best plays of sexual politics in the language" by the Sunday Times, it also marks the company's first step away from Ol' Bill and into contemporary text. A brilliant workshop audition this week has led to a wonderfully exciting cast with some mighty talent, and with only seven weeks of rehearsal time, stay tuned for some of the hottest gossip from this steamy comedy of emotional antics.

Following Closer, Bare Knuckle will be broadening our repertoire to include musicals and workshops, always with both eyes firmly fixed on telling an honest story. The company will be returning to Shakespeare for the summer of 2012 with one of three choices (if only Simon would make up his mind!) promising to raise the bar set by Bare Knuckle: Year One. 
So, onwards and upwards! See you in the front row.



 

Monday, 27th June

Shaking up Shakespeare in Cardiff (ITV Guest Blog)

It’s no surprise that the challenges faced by the arts at the moment are numerous and daunting.

With the country gasping through a particularly brutal tightening of the communal belt, it’s tough for any theatre company to encourage people to dig into their increasingly shallow pockets and step out of the ever-fluctuating weather, into a paying seat.

With the cost of a basic food shop rising and the price of petrol climbing faster than the mud levels at Glastonbury, disposable income is diminishing and entertainment just isn’t a priority.

Given that our nationwide thriftiness has extended beyond our pockets and as far as slashed arts funding, the odds are stacked firmly against successful ventures in theatre.

And yet…

The theatre scene in Cardiff is alive with companies both amateur and professional producing plays and musicals of every shade  with a passion and determination to outlast the recession depression.

And among them, drawing growing audiences back into the pews with fresh interpretations of Shakespearean classics is the Bare Knuckle Theatre Company.

Bare Knuckle Theatre was launched in early 2010 with the purpose of producing exciting renditions of classic plays with all the drama of theatre stripped back, leaving instinctive, sincere acting and a compelling story to tell.

The current production of Romeo and Juliet, running at the Gate Arts Centre on Keppoch Street until Saturday July 2, seeks to invite a mixed audience, from Shakespeare lovers to reluctant, dragged-along partners expecting tights and ‘ay, me’s in boring abundance.

Once in a seat, the objective is to grab the audience’s attention by the scruff of the neck and shake loose some of the preconceptions associated with Shakespeare: There are no fencing foils to be found and not a codpiece in sight.

In an effort to make this production relevant to a modern audience, the scuffle that kicks off the first half has been up-scaled to a full blown riot between Verona’s two leading families and the police.

The Capulet ball, where Romeo firsts meets his Juliet, leans away from polite flirtation and gentle dancing, instead launching feet first into especially composed Irish Ceili that is bound to induce some toe-tapping in the audience.

Original music is a running theme, with Juliet’s funeral accompanied by a haunting Aria, sung live by a company of over thirty mourners.

If it were possible to start a sentence with; ‘The problem with Shakespeare is…’ I would point out the enormous difficulty in drawing an audience in to a story when everybody knows the ending.

But the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet comes from the hopefulness and joy with which their story begins; young lovers elated by affection, later to be destroyed by fate.

The Bare Knuckle approach to tackling this problem is to make sure there’s something for everyone in the telling of this story; some good ol’ fashioned violence for the lads, the infectious energy of a live, Cardiff-based band and original compositions for the music lovers, not forgetting the joys and sorrows of young love for the hopelessly romantic.

Attention firmly grabbed, Bare Knuckle hopes to prove that while the X Factor can pull in huge television audiences based on the temptations of fame and the circus surrounding it, there is simply no substitute for the live performance that can kick you straight in the gut.

And with such a strong Arts ethic in Cardiff, the live experience is right on our doorstep, waiting for us to hit the standby button on the TV.

 written by Claire Hovey

Monday, 16 May 2011

Céilí Express

Since the earliest rumblings of complex dance work for the principles and ensemble of Romeo and Juliet, there have been nervous glances at our own and each other's abundanct left feet; the céilí has put the fear of God into a good half of the cast, not least for it's spelling. There was never any doubt that Ingrid's choreography would be anything other than a treat to watch, but the fun and falls were always going to be in how we would ever get there...

So, are the balls of anyone else's feet unusually resilient from all this tip-toeing? Quite apart from whipping me out of my customarily doughy physique and into a poised, graceful, Irish dancing machine (still a work in progress), the hours of footwork are a real investment for the filp flop season. Extending the merits of céilí rehearsals past my own selfish fitness and fashion goals, I think it's fair to say everyone's enjoying the Goliath-sized challenge of learning a furiously quick four minute routine that will be the centre piece of the grand Capulet Ball. This ball marks a celebration for one of Verona's two feuding houses and is one of the lightest scenes in a tragedy of ill fate; it also introduces Romeo to Juliet and marks the beginning of their hopeful romance.

Ever patient Ingrid has translated her authentically Irish and contagiously merry choreography over to a cast of novices with expert guidances and, having run it from start to finish tens of times since learning the steps in the last week, we're still not even close to bored of Marisa's infectiously foot-tapping original score. Add to that the atmosphere guaranteed by a live session band and the excitement of the céilí is sure to spread beyond the stage and into the audience.

If the Capulet Ball is the scene that ignites the love story between the most captivating of all Shakespeare's romantic characters, the céilí is a fittingly uplifting interlude that will set the audience alight.

written by Claire Hovey

Monday, 25 April 2011

I Predict A Riot

   With the Romeo and Juliet principle cast about to launch into an intensive six weeks of acting rehearsals, it’s a fair question to ask what exactly they’ve been doing during 12 hours of rehearsals a week for the last two months. The proof of time well spent will be in the first ten minutes of the most ambitious Bare Knuckle production yet; a full-blown riot between the Capulets, Montagues and law enforcement of a troubled, violence-torn Verona. With over 1700 moves to master between 20 fighters over 2 minutes of choreographed, story-telling violence, it’s a decent justification of so many hours of sweat and quite so much questionable bruising.

For obvious reasons, the fight training has had to be delivered with military precision to a mixed cast of seasoned fighters and enthusiastic rookies; every move is demonstrated, counted, blocked, re-blocked and run in slow motion before moving on to the next. But the mechanical precision pays off when the riot is run closer to the speed an audience will see it at come June 28^th; the impressive chaos is designed to grab an audience by the scruff of the neck and demonstrate, within the opening minutes, that this interpretation of Romeo and Juliet is something a little different to the fencing foils and heavy sighing so synonymous with Shakespeare’s most tragic love story. The intention, according to the director, is to have something appeal to the boyfriends/girlfriends /husbands/wives in the audience who might have been dragged along by their other halves to see a play they think they know inside out before they’ve sat down. This attention-grabbing, entertaining riot is a ploy to shake away those preconceptions and wake the audience up in time to enjoy a compelling tragedy in a way they won’t have experienced before.

   A note to all the actors enjoying being nine again, running around beating up people in slow motion; the same gleeful commitment will be expected for the Ceili so break in those dancin’ shoes – the jig is on.

written by Claire Hovey

Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Blog Number One

We’re so delighted to have some new faces joining the old in both the principle cast and a bubbling, rioting and heavily present ensemble and the buzz is building for our traditional pre-show party next Friday (see Blog Two for giggly details).

With a cast of around thirty and a céilí to learn (composed by our endlessly talented Musical Director, Marisa Wall and choreographed by the ever-graceful Ingrid Bastable), a riot to choreograph, and, oh yes, the most moving story of ill-fated love to make believable, powerful and gripping for our all-important audiences, it’s fair to say that we can expect the months leading to June to be organised chaos; a brilliantly exciting rehearsal schedule packed with fight workshops, vocal training, physio advice (entirely necessary gift from God after a few nights of stage combat) and impromptu nights out promises to keep us busy and aching but happy all the way to the bows. Anybody thinking it’s not going to be LARGE amounts of fun?! Didn’t think so.

Simon Riordan is characteristically fidgety with infectious excitement to get cracking; the ‘director hair’ is already making an appearance in the planning of the show and his endless ideas for text interpretation are bursting out of him – roll on first rehearsal, for his health if nothing else!

So, summary: things to look forward to; pre-show party – always start with a group-hugging, late-night singalong to some iconic cheesy music and throw in some spectacularly enthusiastic dance moves – no better way to bond. Marketing for the show – Moving on from the wildly successful, bribery-based ‘Free Hugs’ method of ticket selling, this time around a viral campaign is going to include a movie-like trailer, fight displays and we’re also very excited to have photographers volunteering their skills to make us look all intense and brilliant in the poster campaign. Rehearsals; whether in the ensemble or the principle cast, there’s so much to get out of this show – judging by the audition, the dancing is likely to get us fiddle fit. There are frequent opportunities to improve or top up your existing performance skills with workshops on projection, diction and clarity, and let’s never forget that there’s a great big riot in which you can healthily exorcise your inner desires to throw fake glass bottles or throw a punch just upstage of someone’s face. Let’s face it. This tragedy is going to be so much fun.

written by Claire Hovey

Romeo & Juliet being performed at The Gate from 28th June - 2nd July 2011. Book your tickets now!