THE FIGHT, produced by Theatr na nÓg, will play to Cardiff audiences for the first time this October following a successful run in Swansea and Brecon in 2024.
The Fight is the true tale of Cuthbert Taylor, a champion boxer of mixed heritage born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1909, who was barred from fighting for the British title due to the colour of his skin.
Following its debut run at the Dylan Thomas Theatre, Swansea, and Theatr Brycheiniog in 2024, during which the show was seen by over 4500 schoolchildren and members of the public, Theatr na nÓg was approached by Cardiff Council to bring the play to Cardiff. Alan Chappell-Williams, Cardiff Council’s Lead Curriculum Achievement Officer, said: “We felt the play’s themes aligned perfectly with the message of anti-racism and justice we want to encourage at our schools. Theatr na nÓg’s play conveys this message loud and clear through the story of Merthyr born boxer Cuthbert Taylor, whose story deserves to be told to a new generation.”
The Fight tells the story of Cuthbert Taylor, a pioneer in the boxing scene of the 1920s and 1930s. In 1928, he became the first black boxer to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games. Yet the wider establishment were fearful of what message a Black fighter defeating a white opponent might send out, so the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) banned non-white boxers from competing for the British title, sighting Taylor to be “not white enough to be British” at the time. The ‘colour bar rule’ in place between 1911 and 1948 stated a fighter had to have two white parents. Despite being Welsh bantamweight champion and representing Britain in the Olympic Games, Taylor was never given the opportunity to be recognised as the best in Britain like his white peers did.
The production is directed by Kev McCurdy, an apt choice for a play titled The Fight. With nearly 30 years’ experience as a fight director, McCurdy has trained actors in stage combat and choreographed action scenes for major films like Disney’s John Carter, TV series including Doctor Who, Torchwood and Hinterland, and numerous stage productions, including the West End stage version of Stranger Things. He is currently working on the hotly anticipated The Hunger Games: On Stage in the West End. The Fight marks his debut as director with a professional company.
“I was amazed and deeply saddened by Cuthbert’s story and also shocked at how few people had heard of his plight. A huge part of Black British history has been swept under the carpet for too long, and now is the time for a new generation to learn about the mistakes of the past and to hopefully right those wrongs.”
Like Cuthbert Taylor, Kev McCurdy broke new ground in his field, becoming the first black person in the UK to teach stage combat at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 1992, and later the first registered fight director of colour.
Cuthbert Taylor’s family have worked closely with Theatr na nÓg for several years on the The Fight, offering invaluable insight into their grandfather’s life and legacy. Cuthbert Taylor’s grandson Alun Taylor explained: “Our grandfather Cuthbert Taylor was denied his basic human rights, because of the colour of his skin. Nearly a century later, Theatr na nÓg is giving him a voice, and in doing so they are giving our family a voice as well. We are very grateful that Cuthbert Taylor’s story is finally being told, allowing thousands of schoolchildren to witness our grandfather’s amazing character and talent as a boxer, juxtaposed with the harsh injustices in our world.”
Taylor’s family has approached the British Boxing Board of Control for an apology for the colour bar which prevented him fighting for the British title, but their efforts have never yielded a response. Following the show’s run in Swansea last year, hundreds of school children wrote to the BBBofC and their local MPs and MSs to demand an apology for Cuthbert and his family. Though acknowledging the injustice, both the Board and the UK Government have fallen short of an apology. With the new performances scheduled in Cardiff this October a fresh wave of campaigning from local schools may well follow.
Three of last year’s original cast are returning for the run at the Sherman; Simeon Desvignes, Zach Levene and Tonya Smith, with Glynneath-born actor Jack Quick joining to complete the cast. Quick will be a familiar face to S4C viewers as a regular on popular soap Pobol y Cwm and presenter of children’s show Stwnsh Sadwrn.
The Fight is being offered to all secondary schools in Cardiff for free, thanks to funding from Cardiff Council and Arts Council of Wales. There is still availability for school performances; contact drama@theatr-nanog.co.uk for more information.
Public performances will be the evenings of 16th, 17th, 21st and 22nd of October. Audio Description available on the 21st; captioning and BSL interpretation by Nez Parr on the 22nd. Tickets on sale at HERE or by calling the Sherman's box office on 029 2064 6900