Theatre Review: Rumble in the Jungle Rematch, Dock X

⭑⭑⭑½

The play "Rumble in the Jungle Rematch" is a theatrical production that recreates the iconic boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. It tells the story of their historic fight and the events leading up to it in a unique, interesting and interactive way. It's a thrilling and dramatic portrayal of one of the most legendary moments in sports history, and was a pleasure to experience.

It was a totally different experience to many plays I’ve seen previously, as it is far more interactive than anything I’ve seen before. We got to talk to the actors and find out first-hand what went down in Zaire, so if you went back a second time you could have a totally new experience. We essentially time-travelled to 1974 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) and were introduced to the culture, news and entertainment of the mid 70s and were encouraged to dress up for the night. 

The cast were extraordinary; they were so engaging, and I enjoyed the play... once I worked out what was happening! We walked inside into a mass of fog and lights, and many people were confused about what was going on initially – though after about 20 minutes of making our way through the experience and speaking to the characters, we were starting to grasp the story. To add to the fun, the characters spoke other languages, like French, Lingala and Spanish, which added accuracy and authenticity to the story. Whilst I loved this element, my plus one is much more of an introvert and didn’t enjoy it so much. So if you’re an introvert and don’t want to get out of your comfort zone, maybe this isn’t for you. 

Besides the fog at the beginning of the play, visually everything made sense and was so well decorated it felt transformative. It was beautifully done. Once we understood the plot of the play, it was a lot of fun to indulge in food and drinks - particularly the cultural food - and we were even given recommendations by the actors. It’s so interactive that I had some playful banter with some of them in French, and they helped explain the plot. 

Without giving spoilers, my personal highlights were the locker room argument scene, which was a great moment of humour that got the audience laughing. The music acts – particularly Celia Cruz and Miriam Makeba - were standout moments. The fight scene was great, and the performers were wonderful, they do a top job taking you back to Zaire. The little things that people wouldn’t otherwise notice were spotlighted in this play and for that, I am so grateful. But it doesn’t quite capture the magic of the real fight. I mean, who can replace the Muhammad Ali?

There were so many great parts to this play, but they feel overshadowed by the fact that everyone and everything is everywhere, and it can get very overwhelming very quickly. The pacing is also a little off - too fast at some points but too slow at others, which means that to understand and appreciate the play properly, you might have to come for a second watch. 

Tickets for Rumble in the Jungle: Rematch are available here. Currently booking to December 9th.