REVIEW: Champion at Newcastle Live Theatre

Champion 

Newcastle Live Theatre 

Until Saturday 8 March 2025

The new year begins at Live Theatre with punchy new writing about our region's past. This is tight well paced drama featuring three talented actors and a vacuum cleaner. The ability to focus on the people has turned this from a kitchen sink drama into a boxing ring drama.

The publicity said "Summer 1977. South Shields. Muhammad Ali is coming to town. Set during the great boxer’s now legendary visit to The North East this searing new drama shows the effect that such a major event has on a mixed race family in South Shields. Written by one of contemporary theatre’s most regarded writers Ishy Din, this epic offering stirs up questions of identity, community and what each of us are truly fighting for."

With a set that clearly represents a boxing ring, the widower and mother of two Sheila has clearly had to fight for her family. Christina Berriman Dawson brings the matriarch to life and gives a performance which is as much about how the mother physically acts to situations rather than just the dialogue. Here is a mother who chose her life partner over her family. In an era when racism was not just commonplace but often seen as acceptable by many, for it is 1977. The focus of the play is on an Irish-Pakistani family that face racism on a regular basis. However, for two days things change in South Shields as the legendary boxer pays a visit on the day after the Queen's Silver Jubilee tour lands. With Ali we have a man who even the racists will agree is one of the greats.

Sheila's two sons are both the centre of her world and the cause of much internal friction. Daniel Zareie appears as Azeem, a bright lad with the capacity to stay on at school to do A levels. One has to remember that in '77 this was unusual amongst working class families as "the posh kids" tended to be ones who were encouraged to carry on with their education after their O levels. His older brother Billy considers himself to be less bright but that has much to do with opportunity as capacity. Fresh from Gerry & Sewell, Jack Robertson provides another powerful performance against the other two family members who are struggling with their lot.

Daniel Zareie is going to be a young actor to watch. He was able to reflect the restlessness of one's teenage years, that confidence of youth that makes decisions without fully understanding the consequences. However, thanks to the actors ability, good quality script and careful direction from Jack McNamara, Azeem doesn't become overly precious. The audience still care about him as he plots a course in life against his mother's wishes.

As is often the case at Live, it is easy to overlook the sound design (Matthew Tuckey)  as it copes with the sound of the vacuum whilst the radio is on and and the lighting (Drummond Orr) as it picks off the action and helps convey emotion. The standard is up to the venues usual high standard.

As the family prepare for the Queen, and King, to arrive the audience are put through the emotional rollercoaster. Ishy Din using his own experience of being brought up in an industrial North East town to bring the experiences to the stage. Whilst the show is set in '77, the themes of acceptance, racism and survival resonate with the current uncertain times. So rather than Waiting For Godot, we have Waiting For Ali.

The vibrant centre of new writing, Live Theatre, has once again created an emotive drama that reflects the region. 2025 is shaping up to be another great year for our local theatre.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Photos: Von Fox Promotions

Tickets:

Champion by Ishy Din plays until Saturday 8 March 2025 with tickets priced from £10 to £30.  For more information and to book tickets go to www.live.org.uk

Approx 1hr 30mins including interval

Recommended for ages 14+

Please note: Contains strong language, violence and racist language/slurs.