Tue 26 Apr

Intergender Wrestling

Devised by Mel Brimfield
Hosted by Sir Francis Spalding
Featuring Simon Munnery, Kevin Eldon, Tony Law, Josie Long, Oompah Brass, Helen Lederer, Isy Suttie, Rachel Pantechnicon, The Beaux Belles & referee Tim Wells*

The Nave

Fascinated by kayfabe, the elaborate staged nature of professional wrestling, ambiguous comedian Andy Kaufman gained notoriety for wrestling women during his live act, proclaiming himself the Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World. Taking on an outrageous wrestling persona, based on the characters created by professional fighters, he would offer any woman in the crowd $1000 if they could pin him.

Mel Brimfield’s Intergender Wrestling re-visits this unique collision of sport and performance art.

Athlete, provocateur and occasional comedian Simon Munnery takes up Kaufman’s role, challenging for the title of undisputed Inter-Gender Wrestling World Champion. Munnery will be bringing it to the ring, and by ‘it’ he means ‘ladies’. From the crowd. To wrestle. Hosted by commentator, raconteur, bon viveur Sir Francis Spalding.

Intergender Wrestling is Part Two of This Is Performance Art, Mel Brimfield’s historical reappraisal of performance art of the 20th Century.

Mel Brimfield is a London-based artist and curator with a particular interest in performance art. Brimfield creates playful, alternative histories, inspired by real artists, artworks and pop culture. Recognising that performance art is difficult to document and represent accurately, Brimfield toys with the truth and produces fabricated information, objects and ephemera to support her often comical parallel realities