Bare

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Having spent most of the festival enjoying Press, 2 for 1 and half-price tickets it was quite a rarity for this reviewer to pay full-price for a show. “Bare”, however, more than re-paid this investment.

The play started in the queue with promoter Arden tearing the tickets before you entered the arena (theatre). With his fixer Chesney providing some unexpected stand-up while the punters (audience) took their seats including some dodgy-looking characters. Suddenly it was show-time and we were plunged into the sweaty, underworld of bare-knuckle boxing.

Billed as “strictly adults” only “Bare” pulled no punches (sorry), literally showing the blood,sweat and tears of those involved. We followed the fortunes of Skinner whose “good samaritan” moment gave him the opportunity to earn big money in this illegal violent sport.

Paul-Michael Giblin convincingly portrayed this genial loser who originally wanted the cash for his family but found the adulation and physical buzz of the fights too hard to avoid.

“Bare” was the perfect title for this visceral play, literally stripping the body and emotions down to their basic elements. Anyone wanting a rare 2010 festival experience of witnessing a 90 minutes of high quality acting in a play that never sags and provides a stunning unexpected climax should rush to Space 3 near the Radisson.

Special praise must go to Renny Krupinski, actor, writer, director and choreographer.