Since Ali Died

Omar Musa, OzAsia Festival, Space Theatre

Review by Honey B

Powerful blows lead to an uplifting knockout in Omar Musa’s Since Ali Died. Rapper, poet and writer Musa is eloquent, open and full of emotion as he reflects on his early years growing up brown and Muslim in Queanbeyan, near Canberra. When US boxer, activist and Muslim Muhammad Ali died, Musa lost his way, and everything exploded. In this riveting one man show, Musa promises to tell Ali everything and he pours his heart out through a stream of urgent poetry, rap and spoken word. This is a beautifully layered show as Musa weaves his brutal honesty through thought- provoking prose leaving the audience hanging on his every word and movement. Musa touches on racism, masculinity, religion, pride, anger, family, heartbreak and love in all its glorious, entangled mess. Don’t miss knockout performance.