FETCH CLAY, MAKE MAN
Having met and “interviewed” Muhammad Ali, I can indeed attest to that he was The Greatest of All Time, on multiple levels. So it’s always my pleasure to learn something new about the man. And this surprising true(ish) play, Fetch Clay, Make Man, at the Kirk Douglas, (one of the easiest theatres in town, where no one ever blocks your view,) was a revelation to me. [Note: My story of meeting Ali is at the end of this review, after the pertinent info on the play.]
(L to R) Alexis Floyd, Ray Fisher, Edwin Lee Gibson, and Wilkie Ferguson III.
Photo by Craig Schwartz, as is the one at the top of this review.
As to the other main real-life character in this story, old-time actor Stepin Fetchit, (whose real name was Lincoln Perry,) I have always known who he is ever since I can remember. (Which goes back to when I was two, so that’s a lot of remembering!) I’ve been a fan of old movies forever, so I’ve seen him on screen a lot. And he has always fascinated me.
But I never, ever knew that he and Ali were pals! I’m guessing that not many people have that knowledge, either. So, the actual tale told in this play is very interesting, and the execution of it is brilliant! You’ll be amazed and amused by the entire presentation.
The real Muhammad Ali and Stepin Fetchit.
Fetch Clay, Make Man takes place in May 1965 during the lead-up to Ali’s re-match with Sonny Liston, when Ali was twenty-three and Stepin was sixty-three. The boxer had sent for the older gent because Fetchit had been friends with the late, great boxing champ, Jack Johnson, so Muhammad was hoping Stepin had some secret knowledge to share that would benefit him for the upcoming fight.
As serious as the actual events were, this play is incredibly funny. I was actually guffawing at most of the lines. (I was glad I was still rocking a face mask so I wasn’t laughing louder than everybody else! So it protected me from germs and the audience’s wrath!)
Ray Fisher as Ali. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
The five actors in Fetch Clay, Make Man are all spot-on, the direction by Debbie Allen, (whose portfolio of show business accomplishments just keeps increasing,) could not be more efficient, Sibyl Wickersheimer’s set is very creative, (aided by stunning projections by Pablo N. Molina,) and there’s perfect casting by Kim Taylor-Coleman, (whose multi last name I’m jealous of—I would have been happy with either one for myself.) On top of all that, the opening night audience was one of the most convivial I have ever been a part of!
But the person I most want to meet one day is Sound Designer Lindsay Jones, to ask her just where she hid Ali-portrayer Ray Fisher’s microphone on his near-naked body! I was sitting in the second row and couldn’t find it. I thought of taking-out my binoculars, (not just for a better view of his mike, mind you,) but that would have looked crazy to those around me, even though with Ray on stage, I doubt anyone’s eyes were looking elsewhere.
Ray Fisher as Ali. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Speaking of Ray Fisher, (whom you may know as Justice League‘s Cyborg,) I so appreciate that he isn’t doing a caricature of Ali, but rather plays him as the human being he was, complete with the famous little “growl” in his voice.
On a personal note, I must thank the person who seated me in the second row so I could view Ray’s incredible muscles, especially his abs, so close-up, although I have a feeling that that visual easily travels all the way to the back of the theater.
I have to declare that Edwin Lee Gibson, who plays 1930s movie icon Stepin Fetchit, (and sounds just like him,) deserves to win every LA theater award there is! His is one of the absolute best performances I’ve ever seen anywhere! It’s perfection.
Edwin Lee Gibson and Bruce Nozick. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
The rest of the actors—Wilkie Ferguson III, Alexis Floyd, and Bruce Nozick—add to the scenario masterfully. I’m especially happy for Bruce, who lives right there in Culver City and has been a subscriber to the Kirk Douglas Theatre since it opened, and is now in this play in that city! How’s that for kismet?!
After doing tons of research on the scenario in Fetch Clay, Make Man, I still can’t ascertain just how much of the narrative is exactly true, and since none of us were there in real life, we’ll never know for sure. But, from what I can tell, it does appear to be at least very close to the true tale.
Karen Salkin and the lobby punching bag. Photo by Laura Saul.
My only teensy-tiny quarrel with Fetch Clay, Make Man is that, at times, it makes Ali seem a wee bit simple-minded. I’ve always seen him as brilliant, in charge of everything, and incredibly charming, so that was a tad confusing. But anything that makes me laugh so much is fine with me, so I just went with the flow.
When you see this play, (as I heavily suggest all Southern Californians do,) plan to arrive a bit early to mingle in the lobby. And make sure to take a photo or two with the colorful punching bag at one end. Just make sure to not actually punch it—my friend and I noticed the sign telling us to not do that after we took our own pix. But no worries if I had really had punched it, anyway—with my weak self throwing the jab, the bag itself would have just laughed at me!
Fetch Clay, Make Man running through July 15, 2023
Kirk Douglas Theatre 9820 Washington Blvd. Culver City www.centertheatregroup.org
Okay, here’s my story on meeting Ali. Many years ago, I was happy to beat out a bunch of TV veejays and Miss This-and-Thats to be the Los Angeles Marathon correspondent who interviewed the celebrities in the VIP tent during the race.
Muhammad Ali and Karen Salkin.
The live gig was going along well enough, when all of a sudden, I spied Muhammed Ali walking in! I knew that, at that point in his life, he had trouble speaking, and therefore didn’t talk in public. But I pointed him out to my producer who went over and asked if her interviewer could do a little “bit” with him on camera. He asked her who it would be, and when she showed him that I would be the lucky one, to my shock, he agreed!
When we came back on air, I introduced him and then basically just gushed over him while he sat there. (That’s sort-of all he wanted me to do, except that he didn’t say the part about me gushing.)
Muhammad Ali actually SPEAKING to Karen Salkin!!!
And then…he actually whispered to me! He called me “sweetheart,” asked my name, and then signed a book to me. I almost passed out. It was one of the greatest moments of not only my career but my life! I’m actually crying just writing this.
