Review | The Brothers Size' tests the ties that bind | amNewYork

"Before Tarell Alvin McCraney co-won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (shared with director Barry Jenkins) for Moonlight, he made his mark in New York with The Brother/Sister Plays, a trilogy that fused African myth, raw emotion, and contemporary Black life. Two decades later, he revisits one of those works, The Brothers Size, in a new Off-Broadway revival at The Shed, co-directed by McCraney himself and starring Moonlight actor Andre Holland."

"The play is staged with near-total minimalism. The audience surrounds a bare circular stage, defined only by a ring of salt poured at the outset. Accompanied by live percussion from Munir Zakee, the three actors tell the story with stylized movement as much as with McCraney's lyrical text. They even announce their own stage directions, reminding us that this is a work of ritualized storytelling rather than naturalism."

"Holland gives Ogun a quiet intensity, his movements taut and deliberate, suggesting suspicion and exhaustion beneath his surface calm. iLongwe provides a striking contrast, throwing his body across the stage with restless energy that reflects Oshoosi's volatility. Mays, both playful and menacing, makes Elegba magnetic, embodying temptation in gestures as much as words. Together, the trio generates a push-and-pull rhythm of intimacy and conflict."

The Brothers Size is revived Off-Broadway at The Shed, co-directed by Tarell Alvin McCraney and starring Andre Holland. Ogun Size, the elder brother, embodies steadiness and responsibility while Oshoosi, newly released from prison, remains impulsive and yearning for freedom. Elegba, a charming and dangerous figure, tempts Oshoosi back into trouble. The staging is near-total minimalism: a bare circular stage marked by a ring of salt, surrounded by the audience. Live percussion by Munir Zakee and ritualized choreography shape the performance, and the three actors use stylized movement and announced stage directions to create ritualized storytelling.

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