The Brothers Size

Adam Marple

Full disclosure here- I was invited to this preview by the some of the Artistic Staff and attended the after party where I was wined and dined.

That being said I believe that I can give an objective opinion on this show.

The Brothers Size is a new play by Tarell Alvin McCraney that received it’s first presentation at the Under the Radar festival earlier this year at the Public, and was picked up for a fully supported presentation as part of the Public’s season. While it has been done before, it still has little flaws that keep it from truly standing out amongst the otherwise stellar Public season.

When you walk into the theater, you immediately hear the drumming of Jonathan Pratt (who does a phenomenal job as foley artist and soundtrack to the production) and are struck by the sheer simplicity of the design. I emphasize the simplicity because two set designers are listed in the program, yet all you see is a pile of white polished rock, three acting cubes, and a bucket of sand. A sharp contrast to what’s going on next door with Wooster Group’s multimedia extravaganza Hamlet. Yet by the end, all the simplicity felt absolutely necessary.

So many things about this show felt essential and necessary, but so many things felt overlooked. For the first time I understand what a dramaturge could have done for a production. It needed another eye, it needed someone else to say “No”, “Yes, and…” or “Why.” Why are the costumes non-essential? Why introduce sound from an outside source when we’ve been listening to live drums for an hour? Why does only one character have on shoes? Why is everyone shirtless? These simple silly questions keep you from getting into the play early on. It took me a long time to finally immerse myself in the story and I heard a similar complaint from many in the audience.

But, once you were in it you were in it. It’s a wonderful story. Nothing groundbreaking or new here script wise, but quite the opposite, it’s very old. It plays fast and loose with an old Yoruba myth that we are all familiar with whether we realize it or not: familial love and the sacrifices we will make for it. The piece is beautifully acted by three hard working actors who fight every minute of the play to keep the through line taut. There’s a moment toward the end that truly makes the audience brace up and coalesce around them, and just as quickly it turns on a dime and throws us in a new direction. I haven’t heard an audience gasp in quite a long time, but we were at the point of loving these characters so much that we hated to see anything happen to them.

Directing wise there was no clear beginning, and the end was blown. Tiny little things throughout kept the play from rising above good, to become great. I nitpick because it’s so close to being great. After being done earlier this year and having such wonderful support, it’s sad to see such little things keep this show from shining. In a season of such amazing shows, playwrights, and actors this show will get lost. It’s almost there. But it’s the “almost there” quality that will make it disappear. I hope not, I hope I’m horribly wrong. Because it is good, almost great, but definitely good. Go and see it if you have the chance, but be prepared to wish for more and regret the lack of a dramaturge.