LONDON:
‘No Guts, No Heart, No Glory’ is a play about young female Muslim boxers in Bradford which is now showing in London, The Independent reports.
Written by Aisha Zia and Evie Manning, the play is an indicator of strong Muslim women and women empowerment. “I wanted to challenge expectations and stereotypes,” Zia said.
Zia and Manning learnt about Ambreen Sadiq nd Saira Tabasum, British-Pakistani Muslims and boxers living in Bradford, and contacted them to tell their true stories.
After than Zia and Manning started looking for young women to fill out the production. They were looking for girls who could act and learn to box, and held auditions in schools and colleges. The girls they selected are mostly from Bradford and their parents come from various parts of Pakistan. “People come to the play and expect to see oppressed girls but actually they are having fun, they are angry and aggressive and dancing,” said Manning.
Common Wealth Theatre’s ‘No Guts, No Heart, No Glory’ shows at Southbank Centre’s WOW: Women of the World Festival, from March 5th to March 8th.
