Chloe’s Monologue from Bitch Boxer by Charlotte Josephine
"I met up with Mum a few days after the funeral..."
Overview of Bitch Boxer
Bitch Boxer by Charlotte Josephine is a gritty, high-energy play exploring themes of family, resilience, and self-discovery through the lens of a young female boxer. Chloe’s monologue captures her raw emotional journey, detailing her fractured relationship with her mother and the solace she finds in boxing. This piece is perfect for actors seeking to showcase a mix of vulnerability, anger, and strength.
Character Breakdown: Chloe
Name: Chloe
Age: Early 20s
Background: Chloe is a young woman from East London who channels her anger and grief into boxing after her mother’s abandonment and her father’s heartbreak. She is fierce, passionate, and unflinchingly honest.
Who the Character is Talking To in This Moment: Chloe addresses the audience directly, recounting her turbulent past with her trademark candor.
What’s Just Happened: Chloe reflects on her estranged relationship with her mother and the pivotal role her father and boxing played in helping her cope with abandonment.
The Monologue
I met up with Mum a few days after the funeral. For ‘coffee’. All hairspray and lipstick she struts in like some slapper nearly 20 minutes late, orders a tall skinny latte and gives the waiter a wink. Straight out of training I sit with my tea, my tops a bit grotty, sticking to the back of my chair, my face is scrubbed bare and my hair’s still a bit wet. Neither of us impressed with the appearance of the other we sit in silence. Eventually she begins, says we need to chat about a few things apparently, I need to make a few decisions, like where I wanna live. She left us when I was 11. Buggered off with some bloke she’s met in Tesco, I shit you not. Romance down the aisles, love at the checkout, Tesco's full of it. Every Little Helps. My dad was gutted. Like, she taken his heart, chewed it up, spat it back out, stamped on it in her cheap stilettos then pissed all over it with her dirty-smelly-can't-keep-her-own-knickers-on-fanny. Came home from school and my dad was sat on the sofa crying. He stayed like that for 2-weeks, that's how much he loved her. I smashed the house up. School got wind of it and put me through counselling. Some posh twat in tweed I've never met asking me questions about my home life? Yeah alright sunbeam, I'd love to tell you all my problems, you're from Cambridge? Oxford? Windsor? I'm from Leytonstone. Sitting there talking?! No mate get off your ass and do sumink about it! Dad knew what to do. Dried his eyes and took us down the gym. Stopped me smashing things up around the house and started me training. Taught me to control my anger. Focus it into power, strength and speed. Just me and my dad fighting the world together, and I loved it. And lo and behold, Natural Talent. And do you know after all that madness. That hot/sweaty/angry/pumping/fighting/madness, when all that dies down and your body’s sore. You feel calm. Quiet. And for an eleven year old who wants to smash everyone's fucking face in for what Mummy did to Daddy? That calms a nice feeling
Beaking it Down
"I met up with Mum a few days after the funeral. For ‘coffee’. All hair spray and lipstick she struts in like some slapper, nearly twenty minutes late, orders a tall skinny latte and gives the waiter a wink."
Commentary: Chloe’s opening sets the tone with sharp wit and disdain. Actors should deliver this section with sarcasm and a sense of Chloe’s frustration, reflecting her resentment toward her mother.
"She left us when I was eleven. Buggered off with some bloke she’d met in Tesco. I shit you not. Romance down the aisles, love at the checkout, Tesco’s full of it. Every little helps."
Commentary: This section blends humor with anger, showcasing Chloe’s coping mechanism of using humor to mask her pain. Actors should lean into the absurdity while hinting at the deeper hurt beneath.
"Came home from school and my dad was sat on the sofa, crying. He stayed like that for two weeks, that’s how much he loved her. I smashed the house up. School got wind of it and put me through counselling."
Commentary: The humor fades as Chloe shifts to a more vulnerable recollection of her father’s heartbreak and her own destructive behavior. Actors should let the anger and sadness emerge naturally.
"Dad knew what to do. Dried his eyes and took us down the gym. Stopped me smashing things up round the house and started me training. Taught me to control my anger. Focus it in to power, strength and speed."
Commentary: This marks a turning point in the monologue. Chloe’s admiration for her father and the positive influence of boxing should shine through, contrasting with the earlier tension.
"Just me and my dad fighting the world together, and I loved it. And low and behold, natural talent. And do’y’know, after all that madness... You feel calm. Quiet. And for an eleven-year-old who wants to smash everyone’s fucking face in for what Mummy did to Daddy? That calm’s a nice feeling."
Commentary: The monologue concludes with a mix of pride, peace, and lingering anger. Actors should deliver this with reflective calmness, letting the audience feel the catharsis Chloe finds in boxing.
Suggested New Thoughts Chunking / Paragraphing
Meeting with Mum: Chloe describes the awkward reunion with her mother, revealing her disdain and unresolved anger.
Mother’s Betrayal: She recounts her mother’s abandonment and its impact on her father and herself, blending humor with bitterness.
Father’s Solution: Chloe transitions to the solace her father provided through boxing, showing her admiration and gratitude.
Catharsis in Boxing: The monologue ends on a reflective note, highlighting how boxing became a source of strength and calm for Chloe.
Journey Keypoints
Hook: Chloe’s sharp and humorous description of her mother grabs attention and sets the tone.
Turning Point: Her recounting of her father’s heartbreak and her destructive response shifts the monologue’s emotional weight.
Climax: The description of finding control and purpose through boxing marks the emotional peak.
Resolution: Chloe reflects on the peace and empowerment boxing brings her, leaving the audience with a sense of her resilience.
Performance Tips
Embrace the Contrasts: Chloe’s monologue oscillates between humor, anger, and vulnerability. Highlight these shifts to create a dynamic and layered performance.
Ground the Humor: While Chloe uses humor to cope, her wit should feel authentic and grounded, never overshadowing the underlying emotion.
Channel Physicality: Chloe is a boxer, and her physicality is part of her identity. Use subtle movements or a strong stance to convey her strength and determination.
Connect with the Audience: The direct address creates intimacy. Maintain eye contact and a conversational tone to draw the audience into Chloe’s story.
Learn with Acting Coach Scotland
Chloe’s monologue from Bitch Boxer offers a powerful mix of raw emotion, humor, and resilience, making it an excellent choice for auditions or performances. At Acting Coach Scotland, we help actors unlock the depth and authenticity required to deliver unforgettable monologues like Chloe’s.
