Liverpool-based actress Denise Kennedy premieres her new show with live music, song, dance, and boxing, and tells the amazing true story of the world’s first female boxing promoter, Bella Burge, a woman who, after having toured the music halls as Marie Lloyd’s dresser, entered the male-dominated world of boxing.
She succeeded in taking over the running of south London boxing venue Blackfriars Ring from her husband, the ex prize-fighter Dick Burge – a promise made to him on his deathbed – until it was destroyed in a World War Two air raid in 1940.
With women’s boxing having been introduced as an Olympic sport during London 2012, ‘Bella: Queen of the Blackfriars Ring’ shows another side to women’s involvement with boxing from 100 years ago, along with her involvement in the notorious Liverpool Bank Fraud.
Denise Kennedy said, “When I found out about Bella’s story I was gripped and felt I needed to tell it…A shorter version of the show was performed a couple of years ago and it went down really well. Everyone wanted to see more and were disappointed when it came to an end! I have a great team working with me, including writer Esther Wilson (Call The Midwife, The Darleen Files, The Accused, The Street) in the role of Dramaturg.”
“As it is a one-woman show, I will be playing all the different characters, boxers included. It has been great but incredibly hard work. I am in my late 40s and boxing is one of the most strenuous forms of exercise you can possibly start, especially at my age! I have dance training which has helped me with the footwork and Daniele told me that her dance training made things easier when she started.”
Bella: Queen of the Blackfriars Ring is on at the Unity Theatre, a world premiere, on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th February.
Tickets for Bella: Queen of the Blackfriars Ring are available from the Unity Theatre Box office on Hope Place, by telephone on 0844 8732888 or online at www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk. Tickets are priced at £10 with concessions available at £8.