The sports hall of a school in New Malden, south-west London, may seem an unlikely venue for a revolution. But here, on an icy Thursday night, a revolution of sorts is taking place. Comrades are facing off, honing their skills and sharpening their reflexes.
A group of raw new recruits, a motley rabble of women and men sucked inexorably into the cause, looks on. The local commander, a no-nonsense but cheerful woman named Lou, will take them to the end of the hall to issue them with equipment, show them how to use it, and explain the rules of combat.
