Aussie Fringe act teaches Leith boxers how to be circus acrobats

David Trappes, Phoebe Armstrong, Alex Weckes-Huck and boxer Jacob McLaughlin. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Australia-based Company 2 arrived in Edinburgh with their show Le Coup, but were struggling to find somewhere to prepare for their performances.

The group approached Leith Victoria AAC – Scotland’s oldest boxing club – and were given access to the premises, in return for a few training sessions with young athletes.

Gary Young, head coach, said: “Their boxing was way better than our acrobatics.

“Balance is a very big part of boxing – timing, coordination – and it just shows the hard work they put in to make sure they’re the best they can be.

“They can take knowledge from that and know that if they put the same type of effort into their boxing, they could be on a big stage themselves one day.”

The sessions saw young boxers spar with the acrobats and try out some of the moves the performers do during their Fringe show.

Frances Heath, 15, is aiming towards competing in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and tried out a few balance-based stunts with the circus stars.

This included balancing on the shoulders of Casey Douglas, who is known as Barry the Cross-dressing Builder in the show. She said: “It’s been different to just doing normal boxing training.

“It’s taught me a lot of things.

“We normally spar with pads in the ring, we don’t normally go on people’s shoulders and go flipping about the ring.”

Mr Douglas added: “We started playing with some footwork, learning to box and use our feet at the same time – just swapping a bit of technique, getting ready for our shows.”

Fight Night-inspired Le Coup is on show at the Circus Hub in the Meadows.