Shadow Boxing was written by James Gaddas in 1989 and premiered in 1994. It focuses on the young male character, Flynn, as he grapples with the hyper-masculine setting of boxing tournaments and his burgeoning queer sexuality.
Let’s start with the positives. Under the direction of Teresa Izzard (who is also the play’s producer and movement coach), and in the hands of performer Samuel Addison, this is a beautifully executed piece of theatre but sometimes, even the most senior and masterful creative teams are not enough to save a work that otherwise fails in the most important of areas.
When it comes to performances from the queer cannon – particularly in theatre – we often adopt works that we feel can be brought into a modern context, but which can’t. Frequently these works either frame or reflect a time of significant loss and sadness for the queer communities. Rent, Angels in America and Holding the Man are but three examples. Shadow Boxing is another local but lesser-known example.
This is not to say there is no merit in these works being remounted for modern audiences, but to do so they must be framed as what they are – necessary, but historical works. This remount of Shadow Boxing strips away historical signposts and the heightenedness of the times it was written.
As a writer who is also HIV+, not knowing the history or context of this play until writing this review, they had their concerns sparked by a single throwaway line – around police officers wearing rubber gloves during a body search of a gay man in an over-abundance of caution. Taking place at some point during the show’s second half, it was by then far too late for a single signpost.
When Gaddas wrote this work, there was still a massive amount of stigma and misinformation (more than still exists and which continues to be fought) around HIV/AIDS. The use of antivirals was only adopted in Australia in 1996, and at the time the play was written, there was still a general sense that any bodily fluids could pass on the virus that causes AIDS. We know now, in 2025, that it is a blood-borne disease.
Let’s remember again that Shadow Boxing is written about a young man experimenting sexually with male partners all while participating in a literal blood sport in the 1980s.
Lacking context, this remount leaves such negative stereotypes open to continued perpetuation. Nor does it do much to break down masculine stereotypes.
Instead of remounts of once-timely plays, let’s – heaven forbid – create a new work reflective of today which tackles the prevalence of misogyny among gay male populations, or other forms of later violence within the broader LGBTQIA+ communities.
Is Shadow Boxing still relevant, or does it even unconsciously go about manifesting damaging ideas around the concept of masculinity and, more dangerously, around HIV/AIDS?
These signposts needn’t be overt, they could be simple e.g. replacing modern dance floor sounds with those straight from the queer dancefloors of the 80s and 90s such as Bronski Beat, Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys, George Michael etc. In turn, these inclusions would also show greater respect for the source material.
The lighting design, on the other hand, is brilliant and draws the audience into this work full throttle.
Read: Theatre review: Storked, Theatre Works
The first of the two stars afforded to this show go to Addison, who as a performer, gives nothing short of his all, throwing himself into this work with abandon and delineating between multiple characters to great success. The second of these stars goes to Izzard who, as a director, has created a really powerful physical language, of which – for all its flaws – the script hangs off with precision and razor-sharp intensity.
Shadow Boxing by James Gaddas
Explosives Factory ( Rear Laneway, 67 Inkerman Street, St Kilda0
Presented by Theatre Works and Feet First Collective
Producer, Director and Movement Coach: Teresa Izzard
Associate Producer, Designer, Photography and Graphic Design: Samuel Addison
Dramaturg, Vocal Performance Coach, LGBTQIA+ Advisor: Donald Woodburn
Composition/Sound Design: Bec Price
Lighting Design: Christian Lovelady
Cast: Samuel Addison
Tickets: $38-$48
Shadow Boxing will be performed until 24 May 2025.
