It isn’t very often that sports and theatre intersect. They intersect in every aspect of the two men who are central to Alberta Theatre Projects’ presentation of Rajiv Joseph’s King James in association with Theatre Aquarius. The play is built around a friendship that blooms around the love of basketball, but most especially Lebron James. The play is an examination of privilege and how a love for the game can bring us together and drive us apart. It looks at the ups and downs of life while maintaining a love hate relationship with your team and hanging on to hope, while winning or losing. The play is broken up into 4 scenes, much like the 4 quarters of a basketball game.
We meet Matt (Devin MacKinnon) in his place of work, a former church adapted into a wine bar. There is stained glass in the windows. Shawn (Michael Blake) shows up to buy Matt’s season tickets to the Cavaliers, during James’ 2003-2004 season on the team. They wound up connecting about basketball, and we get a sense of who they are. Matt wants to own his own restaurant and Shawn is just starting to sell his writing, though he works two other jobs. In the second quarter, their friendship has deepened and they have attended games together for the past 6 and a half years. This scene centres around James’ decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. As the play unfolds, either Matt or Shawn are up, but one cannot be winning while the other is also winning. We watch as this friendship evolves around issues of privilege and race, while finding a place in the world. We get to watch as these two delve into how basketball and LeBron brings them together.
Joseph’s script is a realistic portrayal of male relationships. When the men talk about sports, they are really talking about other aspects of life. How when Matt says that he’s ‘off basketball’ it really means that watching the game isn’t the same without his friend. It’s such a quiet unfolding of a deep friendship that experiences its own ups and downs. Director Haysam Kadri allows this to bloom on the Martha Cohen stage. King James is so nuanced in its portrayal of male friendship through basketball and illustrates how nothing is black and white. No one is ever the leader forever and what goes up will also come down.
The production is enhanced by Fly Lady Di, the DJ who spins tracks throughout the show. The set rotates on stage, moving from the wine bar to the store that Matt’s family owns, designed by Brian Dudkiewicz, who also designed the costuming. Lighting design by Louise Guinand and sound design by Maddie Bautista further enhance the theatrical experience.
Blake and MacKinnon play off of each other so well and carve out the subtlety of their characters. Their give and take allows the story to breathe. All the while, James’ journey is in the background, enhancing their friendship and their love of the game.
You don’t have to have a deep knowledge of Lebron James or basketball to understand the friendship between these two sports fans. But seeing all the shout outs to the sport is fun to watch.
Alberta Theatre Projects in association with Theatre Aquarius’ presentation of King James runs until March 16th. More information is available online.
Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz