The Shadow Boxer

Audience reviews

THOMAS

A phenomenal find! Carried by an incredible performance by Lucas English, the play traverses the emotional gambit exploring the darker tendencies of masculinity against a 60’s English backdrop.

Min Jung Kim

This show was a hidden gem. I was very moved by the passion and intrigued by the story and how it was told. Keep up the great work and I can’t wait to see your next shows!

Guy France

A powerfully distressing depiction of sport, obsession, and emotion. 50 minutes of holding my breath waiting for the next punch to land. The highlight of my Fringe theatre experience – everyone should see this.

Nicola Rigby

An absolutely stunning performance!
Excellently written and executed by a very talented young actor!
The Shadow Boxer had me captivated from start to finish, it made me laugh, cry and everything in between.
The story was brought to life in such an amazing way that you can feel every raw emotion that the characters are feeling.
The venue is perfect for an up close emotional journey.
No words I can write will do this unbelievable performance justice.
Lucas English you are truly remarkable!

Amanda Booth

An absolute must see! A brilliant and compelling performance that is at times uncomfortable and always gripping. This actor portrays several characters that are all believable and raw. Well done that man!

Anthony Coucill

Go and see this show! It really is that simple.
The script is excellently written and Lucas’ performance takes you through humour and heartache in a way that engrosses you in the story.
The portrayal of the different characters and their different mannerisms genuinely makes you forget it’s a solo performer on the stage, and the closeness to the action really makes you feel part of it all.
A very good show that’s should be seen by as many people as possible.

Burr Sutter

My wife and I just left Shadow Boxer and were again reminded of why we love the Fringe. The story itself was powerful, if heartbreaking, and personal for the solo actor, who delivered more sustained intensity in the telling than I’ve ever seen. The writing was top notch, the venue extremely intimate–you’re so close to the actor you feel a part of everything the character is going through. The intensity was at times uncomfortable, but clearly by design–raw, honest, and inescapable (in a good way). Extremely powerful show about past events with themes still relevant today. Great job!

Tom Ryan

Powerful and commanding performance from Lucas English that brings you on a journey through dizzying highs to heart-breaking lows. Recommend for anyone who likes hard hitting drama.

Danny Dougan

What a fantastic performance by such a talented young actor! The story of Jumping Jack trying to make a name for himself while also holding down a somewhat normal life is truly mesmerising.
Lucas portrays every character with so much energy that I genuinely forgot I was watching a one man show.
Quite a serious story being told with flickers of comedy thrown in make this show a must see for anybody visiting the fringe.
An immersive experience throughout made the 50 minute run time fly past.
Definitely worth the journey from Liverpool. Thankyou for a great evening!

Iona Campbell

An absolutely mesmerising performance. Raw and compelling, a must see for the Fringe!

Beth

I rarely leave reviews however this show is most deserving of one!
Some of the topics highlighted in the show are very delicate and not easy to portray, but Lukas managed these topics with grace and without overplaying the difficult role.
There’s always the risk that depicting such themes could be overstretching a young actors possibilities but that couldn’t be further from the truth in this case.
Completely compelling from start to finish.

Rory Morrison

Such a high energy and powerful show, incredible stamina and pacing, sometimes terrifying but always gripping

Aidan Milford

It’s almost a bit intimidating giving a brand new show a chance, but probably not as intimidating as the person performing it! However I was thoroughly surprised and taken aback. Lucas English commands the stage and has a presence that is rare to come by in the performance world. He takes you through a characters story that you become quite connected to, a story that seems too good to be true, and in time you find out it indeed was. Twisting your mind, Lucas leaves you wondering whose story this really is. I personally found this show to be a comment on masculinity as a whole but that could just be my take. I’m not going to go into too much detail as I really think you should see this yourself. Lovely late night viewing.

James Roberts

A powerful play. Well scripted, well acted. A must see.

Graeme Souter

Learned about this one by chance as a flyer was at my local barber shop. Glad I came across it because this was a real find. Commanding and intense one man show with a story that takes a direction you would not expect. A must see in my opinion and really hope it gets some love this fringe season.

Terri Meldon

Amazing show. We loved it. Deserves to be a sell-out.

Paul Bryan

This is a gem of a show. A young actor /writer makes his debut at the fringe and goes about it with subtlety and wit. This type of talent needs to be encouraged. It is a well-crafted story of a boxer making his way in the fight game at the same time dealing with issues beyond his control. It is both funny and moving and the time flies by as the audience becomes engrossed in the challenges he faces. I urge you to go and see it . It packs a punch and is in my opinion what the fringe is about.

Professional

Seen at the Edinburgh Fringe, Niddry Street

By Derek,edfringe24 – 10th Aug 2024

Lucas English has written a good show which is close to excellent. His story tells of a featherweight boxer aiming for the 68 Olympic games. The present day element refers to a grandson with mental health issues by voice over which is intriguing but unfulfilled. He plays a variety of characters efficiently but his boxer is the key. He swings from bliss to rage in an instant and is compelling throughout. Well worth a late night visit.

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 Reviews –The Shadow Boxer

Posted on August 5, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Jack is a bricklayer by day and a boxer by night. After an unexpected surprise win in his home town of Portsmouth, Jack sets his sights on representing Great Britain at the 1968 Olympics. With his beautiful fiancée Susan, they appear to live the perfect life – what could possibly go wrong? That’s one interpretation of this multi-levelled play; however, maybe none of this happened. Maybe it was all the fantasy of a troubled young man’s brain? It’s up to us the audience to decide for ourselves where the boundary between reality and delusion lies. Lucas English gives an excellent performance as Jack – or is it Isaac? – conveying the character’s desire to live an unrealistically model successful life mixed with his struggle to control rage. Or is his behaviour simply controlled by therapy? The clues are there: a late night brain teaser of a play!