Review: RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE REMATCH, Dock X, London

The epic 1974 fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman is stuff of sporting legend. The 1996 Oscar-winning documentary, When We Were Kings, told the story of that remarkable night to a new audience and now it’s the turn of immersive theatre-makers to bring it to life. 

Rumble in the Jungle Rematch is staged in a huge warehouse in Canada Water, kitted out to represent 1974 Zaire; there is a traditional market and street food section, a recreation of the famous music festival and the lobby of a high end hotel where you can be entertained by a pianist as you sip cocktails. Don King pontificates in one corner, locals jam together, while Foreman's trainer explains to David Frost why the fight needs to be delayed after Foreman suffers a cut during training.

There is a lot that works here; an obvious and careful attention to detail being one. The meticulous recreation of James Brown's stage catsuit, event posters, costumes and haircuts feels thoughtful. The three-day music festival that featured James Brown, Miriam Makeba and Celia Cruz showcases some brilliant music, with a high energy mix of afrobeat and  American funk. The excellent musicians are an integral part of the action, playing on a big stage to recreate the festival, but also as street performers and during the training bouts. The musicians are excellent, with special mention going to Guy Kelton-Jones’ James Brown and Juanita Euka's Celia Cruz.

Akil Young is confident and assured as Ali, but lacks the sparkling charisma and physical presence of the man we are so familiar with. Alexander Ajuwon makes for a thoughtful Foreman, but is given less to work with. Elliot Rodriguez is a larger than life Don King with a personality as big as his hair, leading an energetic soul train in the middle of The Warehouse. The role of BBC reporter David Frost gives an indefatigable Timothy O’Hara a huge amount to do; from interviewing members of the public and cast members, to commentating on the fight itself. He handles it all with aplomb.

Interaction is not carefully handled and is not forced; parents will find plenty to occupy children, but adult groups will not feel patronised. It is a delicate balance and well achieved by the company.

It's an ambitious event to cover in this way and some elements felt neglected. The marketplace remained almost entirely empty on my visit, leaving one corner of The Warehouse completely underused. A media section has some lovely vintage TV sets that show the Frost interviews and the famous press conference live, but otherwise serves no informative purpose. 

The social, political and racial context of the fight is handled well overall, but could have been explored further. A local called Mumba, played with great dignity by Terence Nzaji-Egnie, gave a few of us a tantalising insight into the attitude of local people about the corruption at the heart of the Zaire government, but many audience members would have missed this important element completely. There is also a slightly bizarre moment at the end when it is suggested that Foreman would find future consolation in his crushing defeat through his highly successful grill empire.

The recreation of the fight itself might feel a little rushed to super-fans, but is slickly performed by the actors, mimicking the action of the real fight footage shown on a giant screen behind the ring. Visually, it is impressive. As the fight goes on, some rounds are skipped and various actors provide their own commentary on the event which does impact the flow of the fight itself.

The event comes from the same company that put on Wimbledon Rematch 1980, a recreation of the classic men’s final between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe. The director Miguel Torres is a veteran of Secret Cinema and so the team knows what it is doing. 

Up to 750 people can fit into the space, which would create a buzz and energy that is a little lacking at a more sparsely attended event. As with all these kind of events, ticket prices vary. The VIP experience does not justify the price, but with general tickets starting from £29.50, this is an affordable and highly enjoyable immersive event that is accessible and suitable for family members of all ages.

Rumble in the Jungle Rematch is at Dock X, London

Photo Credit: Lox Photography

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