A groundbreaking experience, part theatre show, part festival, Rumble in the Jungle: Rematch fused theatre, live music, film, and cultural celebration to transport audiences to the heart of Zaire.
Audiences stepped inside the Rematch time portal and into 1974 Kinshasa to relive the legendary Rumble in the Jungle. They experienced Zaire 74, the iconic festival where soul and funk met afrobeat and salsa, and witnessed George Foreman and Muhammad Ali battle for the heavyweight championship of the world. From attending the fighters’ press conference, visiting the boxers’ training camps, or relaxing at the bar with Congolese street food and local drinks. audiences were immersed in a vibrant, living world.
Then came the reimagined fight, a powerful theatrical retelling that mixed live action, archival material, cinematic visuals, dance, and live music. A true feast for the senses. Audiences were enveloped in the sights, sounds, scents, and soul of a forgotten festival and an unforgettable fight. More than a play or a festival, this was a multi-sensory retelling of a global moment that transcended sport and captured the imagination of a generation.
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The production was awarded the World Experience Organization’s Art Prize in New York for its innovation and emotional power, and earned Silver for Immersive Experience at the Blooloop Innovation Awards, competing alongside the likes of Disney and Moment Factory.
As Creative Director, I led the vision behind Rumble in the Jungle: Rematch, drawing on my background in immersive performance, carnival arts, theatre, and film. My aim was to create a layered, living world — where history, music, politics, and community collided — inviting audiences not just to witness the story, but to step inside it. From the backstreets of Kinshasa to the roar of the ring, every detail was crafted to honour the cultural richness and revolutionary spirit of that unforgettable moment in time.
