Travel back in time to Zaire in Africa, 1974. The proud nation had not long freed itself from evil colonists and were still in the learning stage of governing themselves properly when a Big Fight was arranged between Muhammed Ali (seeking to regain his Heavyweight Crown) and George Foreman (a former street robber and all-round violent man). The match was named Rumble in the Jungle and the world’s press wanted to be part of it, writes Michael Holland.
This immersive experience of reliving the events surrounding that iconic boxing match has been created in a huge warehouse in Bermondsey by a team of people who have perfected their skills over several years.
Our first encounter is with a boxing ring where four actors play the parts of some of the people who were there at the time. They bob and weave around the ring as they introduce themselves, and us to their stories, which is the story of Zaire.
Moving on through the swinging punchbags we enter a cavernous space; there is a shanty shack market in one corner where stalls sell African art and motifs, cocktails and a selection of Zairian food. On the other side is a smart bar, candlelit tables and a small dais where musicians play jazz to the crowd; they are joined by a singer to dial up a mood of class and money. The two extremes of this country are highlighted early on. While myself and my guest, boxing fan Paul Brown, make ourselves comfortable we drink a Belgian beer and forget that it was the Belgians who colonised Zaire, appropriated its natural resources and enslaved its people.
This was a game of two halves: one half for the rich and one for the poor. Congolese street food in the market or hotdogs in the Intercontinental Hotel in the posh side of town.
A media team entered and set up close to our table. It was ‘David Frost’ interviewing ‘George Foreman’ for the television cameras. Foreman had already been discarded by black people as a coconut, a choc ice, an Uncle Tom, but he was very much the favourite to win this fight against a much older Ali.
A lot of shouting was going on around the corner. The nation’s new president was making a speech to a mixed crowd. More noise emanated from elsewhere, followed by ‘Ali, boma ye! Ali, boma ye! Ali, boma ye!’ The boxing legend was out meeting the poor people and they were chanting ‘boma ye!’ (Kill him!). Muhammed had already won the popularity vote before he had left the United States; this was just compounding is status.
Foreman had received a cut in training so the fight was put back five weeks, but the media circus had to continue so a major festival was organised by Don King, who was promoting the fight. James Brown, Bill Withers, BB King, Etta James, Sister Sledge, The Pointer Sisters and many more entertained a very appreciative crowd, and most of those acts were brought back to life at Rumble in the Jungle – Rematch.
To make this experience work you need good actors playing the people who made it all happen: the two boxers, David Frost, who was over there reporting on the event; Don King, and the musicians who performed at the concert, and they need to be getting the audience going. Akil Young did his job as Ali because I gave a few cries of ‘Boma ye!’ and followed him across the vast space to see what strokes he would be pulling next to create a buzz; Elliott Rodriguez as Don King certainly earned his money from schmoozing the crowd, and there was a very impressive James Brown. But without a crowd who will play along to the pantoesque participation this could fail miserably.
As an observer I could see the fight fans wondering when they were going to see a punch thrown, but the majority of those there knew this was a celebration of Zaire, of two great heavyweight fighters, of a historic moment in time, and a fun night out.
We dined on a fish curry and plantain with our beers, we had an African cocktail, all from the marketplace, and now it was time to enter the arena for the fight. If you don’t know how it ends, then go and find out.
Rumble in the Jungle Rematch, Dock X, Canada Water, SE16 2XU until December 9th.
Wednesdays, Thursday, Fridays and Saturday
Saturday includes a matinée and evening performance
Matinees start from 12:45pm
Evening shows from 18:45pm
Tickets from rumblerematch.com £29.50 – £129.50
