INTERVIEW: Champion

Teesside playwright and social commentator Ishy Din’s latest commission, Champion, tells the story of Muhammad Ali’s visit to South Shields in 1977. A fan of the boxer and civil rights spokesperson since childhood, Ishy told me how he was fascinated with the impact this visit had on people, especially working class people, in the North East at the time. “Personally, I’m a huge Muhammad Ali fan and I was always fascinated by this story. And then Live asked me to write a play. So, it was fulfilling a bit of an ambition actually to tell that story. And just get under the skin of it and explore what it meant.”

Ishy did lots of research to write the story, interviewing people who were there at the time. “I spoke to people who were there, people from South Shields, people who tried to get there and couldn’t, somebody who sparred with him in an exhibition bout, someone whose dad had a pitch on the market who was there that day. When he came he was probably the most recognisable person on the planet”

“People couldn’t believe he was actually going to turn up. But once [Ali] found out the reason for the visit was to raise money for the boys clubs, he agreed immediately and he was true to his word. They raised thousands of pounds and on top of that he also refused his fee so it came from a really genuine place, he wasn’t just promoting himself he genuinely wanted to do something for the young people of South Shields and of the region. I think that really resonated with him and he understood the importance of that.”

When he came he was probably the most recognisable person on the planet

Champion is another interesting commission from Live Theatre, who seem to be ambitious about making theatre that appeals to a different, and hopefully wider, range of audiences than would normally go to the theatre. Ishy hopes this piece will break down some barriers too. “I always write from lived experience and worlds that I know so the opportunity to get people through the doors that wouldn’t normally think about coming to the theatre is fantastic and something that we are hoping to promote and champion – theatre is a people’s medium.”

Ishy told me how he wasn’t exposed to theatre growing up and how that influences his approach to it now. “You’ve got to see yourself being reflected back at you from the stage. Those communities that think it’s not for me, that it’s all a bit la-di-dah, I hope this helps and that we welcome people into the theatre that don’t normally come.”

However, spoiler alert, Ali does not actually appear on stage in this performance. Instead, this tale is firmly focused on the lead up to his visit. “It’s about a mixed race family that are trying to figure out where they belong in the world after a traumatic experience.  It’s an ensemble piece, I think identity and belonging is the question of our time particularly post-Brexit. It’s not just about this historical event in 1977, [Champion] asks profound questions about who we are today.”

Ishy hopes that audiences who go to see Champion will learn a bit more about Muhammad Ali but also find something that is recognisable in them. It should also be funny, entertaining and a great night out at the theatre…

Champion runs at Live Theatre, Newcastle from Thursday 13th February – Saturday 8th March.