Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Connecticut and the Berkshires

King James
TheaterWorks Hartford
Review by Fred Sokol


Gregory Perri and George Anthony Richardson
Photo by Mike Marques
King James, a comedy with significance as it zeroes in on male friendship, zips along for a snappy two hours. The TheaterWorks Hartford two-hander (in partnership with Round House Theatre and Barrington Stage Company) showcases Rajiv Joseph's skilled scripting as well as sparkling performances.

In the first quarter, it is 2004, a time when LeBron James is an NBA rookie and, from the get-go, is both a stunning talent and an attraction. Matt (Gregory Perri) tends bar at an establishment that is loaded with wine. Matt wants to sell his remaining season tickets to the Cleveland Cavaliers games. Shawn (George Anthony Richardson) loves LeBron and the basketball team but tries to low-ball Matt with a ticket bid far below the scrambling, scruffy bartender's asking price. This unlikely duo achieve a sweet camaraderie even as they diss and dismiss one another.

Rob Ruggiero directs with specificity as Joseph's play spins into its second quarter, 2010, when LeBron (through vocal amplification) indicates that he will be leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. By now, the protagonists' lives have begun to draw them apart. Shawn hopes to become a media writer and Matt's days at the wine bar are concluding. The first portion of the show winds down while the audience (everyone watching is near the stage at cozy TheaterWorks) becomes fully involved and wonders what comes next.

Returning from a brief intermission, one finds that by 2014 James is returning to the Cavaliers, hellbent on bringing Cleveland a long-awaited championship. Meanwhile, Matt works at what was his mother's store, a place replete with tchotchkes, knickknacks, items which might or might not be antiques, and a beloved unique-looking armadillo. Shawn, having made it in Los Angeles, takes a break from television writing to return and hang out with his old friend. Suffice to say that Shawn is now the more intriguing of the pair because he has evolved. Matt, with a hangdog expression, is forlorn but could harbor hope for brighter days.

The actors demonstrate exceptional timing yet there is no indication through biographical information that Perri and Richardson have worked together before. Nothing is wasted and each moment is maximized. They are individually convincing and have manufactured a sense and knowledge of one another. It seems as if they might have been portraying their characters for a year rather than for a rehearsal process which led to the current run.

Matt and Shawn go at one another, verbally, with vigor during the first hour of the production. They do, however, trust and care about one another. Matt is low on cash and down on his luck and possibilities; Shawn sees a defined path and goal within his reach. The playwright effectively laces his script with comic lines and the over-arching LeBron James motif. Those who haven't a clue as to the ways and wherefores of basketball need not fear. Being a hoop fanatic is not mandatory and everyone should be able to appreciate the presentation. Basketball fans who have watched as James has become the foremost forty-year-old to play basketball at the highest level will bring that acumen to the theater.

Rajiv Joseph, author of this clever, catchy play, provides dialogue that flows swiftly and easily. It is pleasurable to watch and listen as the actors deliver through back-and-forth exchanges which are natural.

Luke Cantarella's set design enhances throughout. He first situates the action at the wine bar, with exposed brick in the background and suitable bottles and accouterments. At intermission, the stage revolves to reveal the shop and an array of items on display. Cantarella's trappings further support this crisp, appealing show, one with depth within its humor.

King James runs through March 2, 2025, at TheaterWorks Hartford, 233 Pearl St., Hartford CT. For tickets and information, please call 860-527-7838 or visit twhartford.org.