“Did you do a panic buy on ASOS for your legwarmers?” asks a fellow attendee at the Wimbledon Rematch event, which took place in London on Friday. “Erm, no. They’re mine,” I respond with an unapologetic grin. Once an 80s kid, always an 80s kid, I guess.
Remember this?
The reason I am happily bedecked in double denim, Dunlop trainers and the aforementioned legwarmers on a warm evening in Wembley, is to check out a new innovative immersive event. The three night immersive experience promises, “a 70-minute live stage show of the iconic Borg v McEnroe final”.
No, I have no idea what this will entail either but oh my life it is a glimpse into the future of how sport and theatrics can mix.
Immersive performance
Your experience starts strolling into the foyer of Wembley Park Theatre, accosted by big-haired Lois Lane-alike journalists with mini notepads at the ready, trying to get a quote from you about the high-profile match. Stony-faced security clad in caretaker-chic coats hustle them away and next minute, bam, you’ve tardis-ed your way back to the 80s.
An umpire fiddles with a Rubik’s Cube from his perch high up in an of-the-era umpire chair. Cosy lounge set-ups include spiral-cord telephones, boxy televisions and head-spinning wallpaper design. Space Invaders machines flash basic graphics enticing nostalgic gamers.
Music clearly plays a huge part and dancers performing to Kate Bush classics in among us patrons makes you feel even more part of the show.
It’s all in the detail
And that’s the beauty of this event, the attention to detail by the organisers means every sense tingles with 1980s vibes. Classic colognes and perfumes are worn by staff such as Drakkar Noir and Anais Anais. Remember them?
Over in the corner where you can try your hand at commentating, a cigarette holder – sans cigarettes, obviously – sits on the table, referencing the haze-filled booths of the period. Adverts provided by the likes of Pimms, had to be converted from digital to VHS tape in order to play them on the box. Not Betamax, obviously – nobody ever took to Betamax.
My sister and I regress back to 1980s kids
Honestly, every tiny thing brought a smile to my face. I loved messing about with my sister sitting in the lounge as if we were those 80s kids in our family home once again.
Now that’s entertainment
And this is all before you get to the main event. Heading into the ‘Centre Court’ theatre we were treated to an innovative, unique, smile-inducing production of the classic Wimbledon final. Ice-man Swede Bjorn Borg took on the volatile American John McEnroe in the 1980 final.
The to-and-fro battle is one of the most iconic moments in sport, let alone tennis, and is cleverly brought to life by a melding of performers, video content and amazing production.
Over 70 minutes we laugh and clap and cheer – some of us remembering the match result, for others it’s happening in real-time – as the match is replayed on stage. The actors who play Borg and McEnroe apparently had three weeks to learn the choreography of the match. At points, their movements mirrored the actual footage on the screen behind. It’s quite extraordinary to watch.
Wimbledon Rematch – Borg v McEnroe stage show
Back to the future
Co-founder Les Seddon-Brown aims to bring to life vaults filled with classic sporting footage, tapping into our nostalgia for iconic moments via immersive experiences.
The mega success of Secret Cinema, where events include watching shark-attack classic Jaws while floating in rubber rings in a lido pool, prompted the idea. ‘Why couldn’t they apply the same idea to sports occasions?’ Why indeed. Mentioning the idea to Wimbledon championship organisers, a very quick ‘we’re in’ and the business began.
This is the first event but future ideas include a theatrical version of Rumble in the Jungle – the rope-a-dope fight between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, a favoured moment he would love to create.
The dynamic duo who have set up Rematch Live in front of a Pimms advert from the era
I’m not putting too much about the actual production or performance in this post, seeing it for yourself first time is wild. You’ll have to be quick to experience this particular event though – the last performance is tonight (Sunday 30 June 2019). However, I suggest following Rematch Live on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for future events. They are really not to be missed occasions.
HaveAGoJo – I try my hand at sports commentary
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Thanks also to www.goodcallmedia.com.
