 In FISTICUFFS Miranda Pennell has taken inspiration from the ritual of theWestern bar-brawl, and placed it in a London working men s club.Her formal approach (to choreography, framing and editing) ensures that theviewer is constantly aware of the choreographed nature of the violence. This violence appears to have no consequences, the actors bodies being as rubbery and invulnerable as those in TV Westerns of the 60 s and 70 s