Voice-Box

“Voice-Box takes on the world of women’s boxing, exploiting the thrusts, jabs, bobs, and weaves of its movement and the shouts and slams of its sound-world to create a performance piece that smashes the boundaries between disciplines and leaves them sprawled out on the mat, down for the count” Musicworks, Winter 2010

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Voice-Box brings together the ‘sweet science’ of boxing and the power of the singing voice, raising provocative questions about women, violence and aggression. Voice-Box was commissioned by Harbourfront Centre‘s Fresh Ground programme and premiered to critical and audience acclaim in November 2010 at World Stage in Toronto. >>WATCH World Stage’s artistic director Tina Rasmussen introduce Voice-Box.

Voice-Box unleashes the song of the fighter, the sounds of the fight and the power of defying expectations – even our own. As boxers we range from enthused novice to Olympic-class coach — performer Savoy “Kapow!” Howe. As artists we cover a huge territory from classical opera to contemporary dance, theatre, stand-up comedy, jazz and gospel. The Globe & Mail notes that “Urbanvessel’s claim to fame is how they integrate the arts, and this show abounds in visual and aural delights. No two boxing matches look the same, but all speak volumes.”

Voice-Box provoked intense Q & A sessions after every show. One commentator asked “does boxing vent aggression or does venting aggression just make people more aggressive?” Another critic concluded that “the greatness of Urbanvessel is their ability to convey mixed messages. No two people are going to experience this show the same way, but everyone is going to argue about its meaning” (Globe & Mail). That argument is one we want to pursue as artists and with audiences around the world.

Voice-Box celebrates women who scrap it out with sweat and skill, who punch like girls, and who fight ugly but fair in the ring and in the world.

Voice-Box creative team: choreographer Julia Aplin, writer Anna Chatterton,  composer Juliet Palmer, designer Teresa Przybylski and lighting designer Kimberly Purtell.

Featuring: Vilma “The Vilminator” Vitols, Neema “Stealth Bomber” Bickersteth, Savoy “Kapow!” Howe and Christine “Trouble Clef” Duncan.

We are grateful for support for the creation of Voice-Box from: Harbourfront Centre, The Toronto Arts Council,  The Ontario Arts Council and Roger D. Moore.

Voice-Box is available for touring. Tech rider upon request.