Boxing Boys Poster [Source: ThaiTicketMajor]
Boxing Boys is a "non-verbal theatre piece" and romantic comedy, performed last month in Bangkok at the Muang Thai Rachadalai Theatre, that draws on multiple physical disciplines including Muay Thai aka Thai kickboxing, modern dance and breakdancing.
The evening-length work was created by Thai-born and Singapore-based director Ekachai Uekrongtham who is best known for Chang & Eng, a music theater production about the Siamese twins, and who also directed the feature film Beautiful Boxer, a movie with a surprising focus on a Muay Thai kickboxer who has a sex change operation.
Boxing Boys Promo Videos (Short & Long) [Source: ThaiTicketMajor]
During an interview for the Bangkok Post Ekachai Uekrongtham revealed that:
"to promote an appreciation of Thai martial arts, Boxing Boys includes a flashback of how our ancestors used to fight with various parts of the body _ punching, elbowing, kneeing and kicking, to defend the country against Burmese armies. In addition, swordfighting, khon and likay have been incorporated into the show to better represent Thai cultural heritage."
"Boxing Boys is not a cultural show, however. At heart it's a romantic comedy about a girl who has a caring kickboxer and a carefree b-boy dancer courting her. The two opponents and their gangs are also in a battle, with one side 'armed' with traditional muay Thai positions; the other with modern street-dance moves."
"The non-verbal approach means that the cast cannot utter a single word during the course of the 90-minute show."
Ekachai hopes to take the show on tour so we may be hearing more about this unique production in the future!