On the Ropes – Park Theatre

Mensah Bediako in On the Ropes at the Park Theatre, London. Picture: Steve Gregson

On the Ropes continues at the Park Theatre, London until 4 February 2023.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Of the 57,000 people caught up in the Windrush scandal, On the Ropes tells the story of just one. Vernon Vanriel arrived in Britain at age six. By the 1970s, he had become one of Britain’s most charismatic and influential boxers. However, a few decades later he found himself trapped in Jamaica with his life in tatters due to the British Home Office branding tens of thousands of people who had moved to Britain from Commonwealth countries “illegal immigrants”. Now thankfully back in the UK, Vanriel has written this shocking yet thoroughly entertaining biographical play with Dougie Blaxland.

The three-piece cast are each a delight and deserve all the credit in the world for putting on such a fantastic show after a rehearsal and preview period scuppered by illness. In the lead role as Vanriel, Mensah Bediako is capable of both the imposing physicality and athleticism of a young boxer, but also the world-weary desperation and vulnerability necessary for later scenes. He is backed by Amber James and Ashley D Gayle in the chorus, both of whom exhibit great versatility in portraying a range of characters. While Bediako is at the centre of the plot, it is the whirlwind of this duo which keeps up the momentum of the show.

The plot is related through rhymed narration, a device that can be difficult to pull off but is tonally perfect here. The rhythms of the poetry reflect the action on stage and the blows taken by our protagonist. Most joyously, however, are the moments of song. On the Ropes features a score of absolute gold-standard soul and reggae classics. Highlights include an irresistibly jubilant version of Nina Simone’s ‘To Be Young, Gifted and Black’ that evokes Bob and Marcia’s 1970 recording, and a recurring ‘Wonderful World, Beautiful People’ (Jimmy Cliff) which takes on an ironic significance as the play progresses.

On the Ropes’ fabulous score cries out for a bigger production with a live band to match the energy of the performers and the power of the story. Director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour does an impressive job of keeping the pace and energy up, but with the true horrors of the British Home Office not emerging until the second half, there are times when the play might get lost were it not for the charm and commitment of its lead performances. It is a bold move to build a play around a 12-round boxing match structure, and though the show never quite drags, this structure does highlight the considerable length of the piece.

The interval of On the Ropes divides its story neatly into two connected dramas, each of which could make a compelling show in its own right. In the first, Vanriel rises through the ranks of British boxing, before facing exploitation from promoters, prejudice from police, and his own inner demons. It isn’t until the second act that his life becomes consumed by the maddening injustice of the Windrush scandal. After spending time in Jamaica, Vanriel finds himself unable to return to the UK and illegible for essential medical and financial support in Jamaica. The scenes of this man who has been through hell fighting desperately against a bureaucracy beyond Joseph Heller’s worst nightmares are tragic, though the spirit and humour of the work and Vanriel himself shine through in even the darkest moments.

Though it is difficult to appreciate the full scale of the adversity Vanriel has had to face, On the Ropes does an admirable job of giving us a glimpse into how his life has been made so unnecessarily painful. Even so, the most heart-breaking moment of the show is not specific to Vanriel, but is in the finale’s repeated use of the number 57,000. Fifty seven thousand members of the “Windrush Generation” at risk of having their lives torn apart. At time of writing, only a tiny percentage have received compensation despite so many being put through ordeals as gut-wrenching as Vanriel’s. The great achievement of On the Ropes is how it forces us to see beyond the numbers of the headlines to the real people affected. It does this with a great verve and spirit, celebrating the human joy that can break through the most hostile of environments.

Ian Bowkett