As directed by Debbie Allen, Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man at the Kirk Douglas Theatre Uncovers Muhammad Ali, Stepin Fetchit, and the Heartbreak of Sonji Clay
By John Lavitt
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 06-28-2023
As another example of an inspiring theatrical season in Los Angeles, Fetch Clay, Make Man at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City is a revelation. Not to be missed, the Center Theatre Group co-production with The SpringHill Company mines the genius of Will Power’s original play to reveal an unexpected twist of events. Although the play focuses on the connection between legendary boxer Muhammad Ali (a remarkable Ray Fisher) and Hollywood film star Stepin Fetchit (a precise Edwin Lee Gibson), the character that ultimately touches the audience the deepest proves surprising.
Fueled by the directing of Debbie Allen, Alexis Ford proves to be an emotional timebomb as Cassius Clay’s first wife, Sonji Clay. Although she married Cassius Clay, she ended up mired in the early complications of Muhammad Ali and the Nation of Islam. From the moment she takes the stage in the middle of the first act to her final scene with her beloved man, the petite Alexis Ford stands up to the towering presence and charismatic figure of Muhammad Ali.
As the driving force at the center of the play, Ray Fisher shows that he is much more than a young Hollywood star. Indeed, towering above all the other actors at 6′ 3″ and cut pretty like a boxer, Fisher is the powerhouse at the center of the narrative. Still, what proves so intriguing to watch and heartbreaking in the end is his complicated and intense relationship with Sonji Clay.
However, it is not the only complicated relationship in the storyline. Set in Ali’s training camp right before the second Sonny Liston fight and just after the assassination of Malcolm X, the storyline is balanced on a historical fulcrum. Both protected and plagued by Brother Rashid, his Nation of Islam security officer, Ali cannot mourn his friend’s death. Moreover, he struggles to achieve balance and confidence before entering the ring again with the Big Bear. Behind his bravado and charisma, Ali was nervous about giving Sonny Liston a second chance to knock him out.
Needing to overcome these doubts and hoping for a magic potion, Ali brings Stepin Fetchit to his training camp. Despite being the first black actor in Hollywood to make more than a combined million dollars, Fetchit was reviled by many for his stereotypical character known as the “Laziest Man in the World.” Thus, when he arrives at camp, Brother Rashid (a capable Wilkie Ferguson III) is far from happy to see this new influence on the Nation of Islam’s shining star. Beyond protecting Muhammad Ali from rumored hit squads of Malcolm X’s angry followers, the prophet Elijah Muhammad knows where his bread is buttered: The boxer equals national press for the cause. But why would he want to hang out with Fetchit?
(Photo credit: Craig Schwartz Photography)
However, Ali has sent for the then-stained showman for a specific reason. As one of the surviving friends of legendary African American boxer and heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, Ali hopes Fetchit can teach him the secret behind Johnson’s legendary Anchor Punch. Whether or not the secret is revealed is a mystery that can only be revealed by going to this incredible play, which runs until the middle of July.
Still, in the stillness of their friendship, Ali and Fetchit teach each other secrets about the struggles of African Americans before and during the Civil Rights Movement. Together, they represent two significant signposts in the history of African American culture and the ongoing battle for true equality. An actual achievement by the playwright Will Power is to resurrect the connection between these two iconic figures.
As Stepin Fetchit, Edwin Lee Gibson is the epitome of an accomplished professional actor. He is excellent at taking center stage when called upon but also playing in the background to provide other moments with greater depth. As Muhammad Ali, Ray Fisher, famous for playing Cyborg in the Justice League, the 2017 Warner Brothers blockbuster, captures the charm and resonance of one of America’s most charismatic personalities. Built like a boxer with a chiseled, muscular frame, Fisher deftly moves between an intimidating presence and a vulnerable human being.
(Photo credit: Craig Schwartz Photography)
Perhaps the play’s most vulnerable moments occur between Muhammad Ali and his first wife, Sonji Clay, who later changed her name back to Sonji Roi. Although there is no doubt about the chemistry between the two, Ali is frustrated by his wife’s constant refusal to kowtow to the Nation of Islam. Her insistence on being an individual, who will not regret what she did to survive in the past, proves to be the marriage’s undoing.
Directed with feminine insight by Debbie Allen, the failure of their marriage is a tragedy, and Sonji Clay is a tragic hero. She is played with verve and intelligence by Alexis Floyd, and she is the heart and soul of the play because she pays the greatest price for holding on to her authenticity. Indeed, the play’s secondary storyline leaves the most profound impression.
Photos by Craig Schwartz Photography
