Fight Direction
Jeff Trainor and Arti Ishak. A Story Told in Seven Fights presented by the Neo-Futurists. Photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux
A play is a fight. At least one person wants something, and they have some sort of obstacle they must overcome to achieve this want. The obstacle can be internal, literal, conceptual, or another person… even if that other is the audience. Whatever or whoever the opposition may be, many times these fights are manifested through stage direction as onstage violence, and it is the fight choreographer’s task to create that violence in safe, effective, and provocative ways.
Gaby accomplishes this by prioritizing collaboration, storytelling, communication, and specificity in her work, utilizing her extensive training in weapon styles with the SAFD and speaking the languages of performer, director, choreographer, dancer, designer, and audience. Every action is motivated by character and performer, interacts with and compliments design, honors the visions of director and playwright, and resonates within the audience. Every action is also safe, repeatable, and true.
Featurette of Gaby Labotka’s Fight Direction of A Story Told in Seven Fights presented by The Neo-Futurists. Featuring Trevor Dawkins, Rasell Holt, Arti Ishak, TJ Medel, Kendra Miller, Stephanie Shum, and Jeff Trainor. Video and Editing by Cynth Wrobel.
Of Note.
Gaby Labotka received the first ever ALTA Award for Outstanding Fight Choreography and/or Intimacy Design for her fight direction of A Story Told in Seven Fights by The Neo-Futurists and the second for her fight direction of La Ruta by Isaac Gomez presented by Steppenwolf. This award was historic not only in being the first, but it was also the first time a femme and/or non-binary person had been nominated for a Chicago-based award for fight choreography within a decade and it is the first award ever specifically dedicated to recognizing the art of intimacy direction.
The ensemble of A View from the Bridge presented by Shattered Globe. Photo by Liz Lauren
Reviews
“My violent tendencies remind me that I have to shout out Gaby Labotka and her fight choreography. The fight scene between Laertes (Gregory Fenner) and Hamlet was epic, elegant, and frightening. Labotka used the space perfectly and curated a powerful mixture of sweeping, graceful gestures and short, choppy jabs. Not one contact slap was made, and yet I completely bought the danger and ferocity of the moment. I’m not sure I breathed during that scene. I applaud Labotka’s commitment to keeping actors safe while remaining faithful to the story being told and the urgency of the moment. “
Tanuja Jagernauth, Rescripted Reviews [Hamlet]
“…there are moments when “Hamlet” truly excels. Many of these are connected to Gaby Labotka’s fight choreography, which looks dangerously authentic. The Gift Theatre’s intimacy – nobody is more than about 10 feet from the stage – ups the ante considerably once the steel starts flashing.”
Catey Sullivan, Chicago Sun-Times [Hamlet]
“And it would be a great injustice to neglect commending Gaby Labtoka’s fight direction, which is all sharp and brilliant. The duel in particular is a triumph; it could not have been easy to choreograph a rapier fight in that tiny space. “
Emma Couling, NewCity Stage [Hamlet]
"The choreography of the eponymous seven fights is remarkable, varying from slapstick to hyperrealistic to terpsichorean to entirely verbal. Tremendous symbolic power accompanies these stylistic shifts."
Harold Jaffe, Picture This Post [A Story Told in Seven Fights]
Daniel Kyri and Netta Walker in Hamlet presented by The Gift. Photo by Claire Demos.
"A Story Told in Seven Fights... begins as a stage combat-heavy presentation of the Dadaist and Surrealist movements and ends with a quieter, more personal meditation on what happens when a leader leaves his followers in the dust, his followers wondering what the hell happened...the combat is superbly choreographed and exciting (thanks to fight director Gaby Labotka), and it’s one of the strongest Neo-Futurists productions I’ve seen in a while."
Lauren Whalen, Chicago Theatre Beat [A Story Told in Seven Fights]
“The essential scenes for this production directed with passion by Elizabeth Lovelady and fight choreographer Gaby Labotka made great use of the relatively small space for so much physical action and complex action scenes.”
Kimberly Katz, Buzz Center Stage [The Good Fight]
“Choreographer Gaby Labotka does a spectacular job of using the stage and varying elements of combat — billy clubs, martial arts, hand-to-hand — to show the frighteningly realistic violence the protesters endured year after year.”
Elizabeth Ellis, PerformInk [The Good Fight]
“…the excellent fight choreography by Gaby Labotka makes the throws and falls land with intense reality. These women are athletes, and they protect their own, using opponents’ strength to their advantage, and protecting one another before striking against others. Such movement represents the heart of “The Good Fight.” Compromise and action can only happen when activists are willing to stand together, and force the public to see their points of view.”
Sarah Bowden, Theatre by Numbers [The Good Fight]