- Title: London's female wrestling scene boosted by Netflix show 'Glow'
- Date: 17th August 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (AUGUST 12, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) 'EVE' ORGANISERS, DANN AND EMILY READ, SAYING: "For a long time, Emily and I have been doing this before Glow kicked off. Emily and I would do the pro-wrestling EVE and we would phone up media outlets, newspapers and we would ask if we could, you know, get them interest in what it is that we do, and we would explain what it is that we do, and we would get laughed out, we had the phone hung up on us. We had numerous venues cancelling us when they realized that the professional wrestling was featuring woman, because they thought that was the equivalent of porn." VARIOUS OF SHOW ONGOING (SOUNDBITE) (English) WRESTLER, CLAIRE HEAFFORD, SAYING: "When I came across wrestling it was like this art form that it was all about confrontation and really standing up for yourself, it wasn't a form of communication that I ever come across before but I felt like that something in it that would really help me in my personal life and in business moving forward." GIRLS REHEARSING MOVES BEFORE SHOW BEGINS (SOUNDBITE) (English) 'EVE' ORGANISERS, DANN AND EMILY READ, SAYING: "You wouldn't go up to a stunt man and tell him what he does is fake, and It is exactly the same thing when it comes to professional wrestling. The risks are real, dangers are real and injuries are very real." (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER CHAMPION, RHIA O'REILLY, SAYING: "What we are doing is real, is dangerous, just on the last show I had to take another wrestler to A&E because, she broke her collarbone and one of the journalists that was here actually thought that was a storyline, that wasn't real. And it was only when we post ourselves at A&E, they realised that yeah, people get really hurt in these shows."
- Embargoed: 31st August 2017 15:47
- Keywords: Kate Nash wrestling Glow Secret Rag Doll EVE fighters London life women
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / UNIDENTIFIED FILM LOCATIONS
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / UNIDENTIFIED FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0086UJOGGP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS PROFANITY IN FILM CLIP. PART VIDEO QUALITY AS INCOMING
Girls just wanna have fun and for some that means getting into a wrestling ring.
In the day 36-year-old Claire Heafford is a personal trainer, but by night every few weeks she dons a mask and takes on the role of her alter ego 'Rag Doll' to compete in female wrestling night 'Eve'.
There has been more interest in female wrestling and a clearer sense of what it involves since hit Netlfix show 'Glow' came out according to Heafford, who told Reuters her friends now think what she does is 'cool' and they want to come and watch.
Set in the 1980's when pro-wrestling was popular 'Glow' is about a group of women chosen to star in a TV show about wrestling - as well as learning the sport the women have to cope the sexism that was rife at the time.
British singer Kate Nash plays one of the female wrestlers and enjoyed it so much she says she now has the 'wrestling bug' and she comes down to 'Eve'.
The all female wrestling night in London attracts around 200 people per event and is run by husband and wife team Dann and Emily Read. Although it has been selling out since it started in 2016 Dann Read told Reuters that 'Glow' has helped raise awareness of what female wrestling actually is all about.
"We had numerous venues cancelling us when they realized that the professional wrestling was featuring woman, because they thought that was the equivalent of porn" Dann Read told Reuters.
The shows are carefully choreographed, more like a dance rather than a violent fight and there is always a background story - however it's not for the faint hearted.
"You wouldn't go up to a stunt man and tell him what he does is fake, and it is exactly the same thing when it comes to professional wrestling. The risks are real, dangers are real and injuries are very real." Dann Read said.
The audience shouts and participates during the two-and-a-half show, with the atmosphere inside feeling similar to a rock concert.
"Women's wrestling is only opening up, there's just no stopping" audience member Ellen told Reuters while cheering along.
According to the Hollywood Reporter 'Glow' has been commissioned for a second series, meanwhile for those wanting to get up close and personal to the real thing 'Eve' continues at Lucha Libre in London. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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