There is something undeniably special about intimate relationships—the ones where you tell the other person everything and anything, where it feels like no physical or emotional boundary exists, where the line between lover and friend is blurred. Erin Kilmurray (she/they) and Kara Brody (she/her) beautifully capture and explore this unguarded, unapologetic affection in their captivating new work, “Knockout.”
The flirty, femme-fueled duet set a high standard on Jan. 24th kicking off Steppenwolf Theatre’s Spring 2025 LookOut performance series that showcases local, emerging talent in the arts. This high-energy, athletic powerhouse of a performance celebrates intimacy, strength and femininity, while delivering a whirlwind of fight sequences, cheeky camp moments and relationships that defy traditional categorization.
While undefined, the connection between the dancers felt like a flirtatious friendship – one where physical and emotional intimacy felt familiar. Where a bite on the hand, a lick on the neck or the pantsing of the other is considered cheeky. While flirty in nature, there was an underlying sense of playful innocence to the actions, which left the audience questioning how to categorize the relationship.
"Knockout," with Erin Kilmurray and Kara Brody; Photo by Sarah Larson
Were they friends, sisters or lovers? Why is it so difficult to define? The tension created by these kinds of questions invites the audience to reflect on how they perceive and define relationships, with all their complementary and clashing dynamics.
The dancers not only display a deep sense of familiarity with one another but also foster an environment where the crew and audience are included, engaged and essential to the production. The crew was embraced not just as artists but as friends, starting the performance by collectively cheering with glasses of water, rallying the audience and setting the atmosphere as a comfortable, safe space among friends to explore complex and vulnerable discussions about identity.
Corey Smith (they/them) crafted the sound design during the production with a playful, dynamic approach, incorporating effects like exaggeratedly loud thuds for punches and seamlessly blending songs as if pulled from a shuffled playlist. The transitions between genres were effortless, moving from an emotional romantic ballad, to slow-drawled country, to an acid-inspired techno beat and everything in between.
Complementing this, Liz Gomez's (she/her) lighting design mirrored the feel of real-time editing. Through quick, intense shifts in lighting, she created the illusion of jump cuts, zoom-ins, fades, scene changes and perspective shifts.
"Knockout," with Erin Kilmurray and Kara Brody; Photo by Chloe Hamilton
The interplay of light, sound and movement, blending various styles to explore what it means to identify as feminine, suggests a sense of inclusivity. Just as the title hints at the combination of opposing concepts—being a knockout vs. literally knocking someone out —the intentional merging of “contradictory” genres aims to challenge the notion that certain identities can't coexist simultaneously.
Much like their inspiration, Uma Thurman and Vivica A. Fox in the opening scene of “Kill Bill Vol. 1,” both dancers skillfully embodied and explored the duality of being both soft and strong. The most powerful of these moments was when the two dancers engaged in a shirtless boxing match. As the lights flash an intense red and the music throbs with a heart-pounding beat, the two dancers trade fiery and passionate blows in a battle of will.
The fight highlights the raw strength and power emanating from each dancer, challenging traditional notions of femininity. By engaging in a shirtless boxing match—an act often associated exclusively with the male body—they redefined the narrative, allowing a woman’s body to claim that space.
This striking role reversal created a visually impactful moment, amplifying the cognitive dissonance of seeing breasts—typically sexualized for the male gaze—within a context of strength and power. The juxtaposition left the audience reflecting on their own relationship with the female body and questioning the contexts in which it is "allowed" to exist.
“Knockout” by Erin Kilmurray and Kara Brody was a truly phenomenal performance and a fantastic start to Steppenwolf's 2025 LookOut performance series. Check it out before it leaves the theater on Feb 2nd.
To learn more about Erin Kilmurrays, click the link below or visit their website at erinkilmurray.com.
To learn more about Kara Brody, click the link below or visit their website at karabrody.dance.
To learn more about the Steppenwolf Theatre’s Spring 2025 LookOut Performance Series, click the link below or visit their website at steppenwolf.org.
