REVIEW: King James interrogates hometown pride and fandom
iPhoto caption: King James production still by Dahlia Katz.
There’s a certain alchemy that occurs when someone like LeBron “King” James breaks free from the glare of their hometown. In 2003, James revolutionized basketball — and fostered a new sense of Cleveland pride — when he was drafted to the Cleveland Cavaliers. For once, Cavs fans had something to root for, a player talented enough to punch through the team’s fetid losing streak.
Yes, at the beginning of his career, James transformed Ohio sportsmanship, and brought hope to a city that desperately needed it.
So nothing could soften the blow when, in 2010, James infamously “took his talents” out of Cleveland.
James’ checkered legacy looms large over the events of King James, sensitively written by American playwright Rajiv Joseph and now playing at Theatre Aquarius in association with Alberta Theatre Projects (ATP), under the direction of Haysam Kadri (also artistic director of ATP). When we meet Shawn (Michael Blake) and Matt (Devin MacKinnon), they’re Cavs fans in their early 20s, two strangers trying to negotiate the sale of a package of tickets to James’ rookie season. Matt’s had the tickets since he was a kid, but a series of bad investments have forced him to sell; Shawn, an aspiring TV writer, wants nothing more than to see James play IRL, but Matt’s price tag is simply too high.
Soon enough, Matt and Shawn become friends, and over the years, they attend dozens of basketball games together. They curse James when he abandons their city in favour of Miami, and they exchange heated jabs when he eventually returns. MacKinnon’s Matt bears striking resemblance to How I Met Your Mother’s Ted Mosby — indeed, there’s clearly a trope for “privileged white men from Cleveland who can’t figure out what to do with their lives” — but, much like Josh Radnor as Ted, MacKinnon manages to make Matt likeable despite the character’s frequently exasperating choices.
Blake, too, finds the humanity in Shawn, who has a habit of withholding key information from Matt. More than once we watch Shawn hurt his pal by forgetting to tell him things, and over the course of Joseph’s play we’re forced to contend with the fact that, in a lot of ways, these are shitty people. When Shawn points out Matt’s racist microaggressions, it’s easy to see that he’s right, but it’s also clear that Shawn has repeatedly crossed boundaries with Matt’s family, and that the fault lines in this friendship don’t only stem from one side.
Kadri’s stylish production uses a James-themed proscenium to frame the events of King James, with a fabulous mural by set designer Brian Dudkiewicz. As well, DJ Diana Reyes provides slick transitional music between scenes — her setup, situated in one of Theatre Aquarius’ box seats, includes bright lights and a disco ball, a welcome distraction as Dudkiewicz’s set evolves from a basement wine bar into a cluttered pawn shop.
Overall, King James is an inspired programming choice for Hamilton (and Calgary, where it’ll head early next year) — both are relatively small cities that, like Cleveland, know a thing or two about the importance of hometown pride, as well as the struggle of maintaining it. There are a few kinks to iron out — an unfortunate line flub on opening night badly upset an onstage argument’s pacing, and King James’ final scene transition is a touch awkward as the set situates itself for the play’s epilogue — but on the whole, Kadri’s production fosters fabulous chemistry between its leads, with crystal-clear stakes. No need to brush up on your basketball before heading to Aquarius; one of the joys of Joseph’s script is its ability to supply context without boring the sports buffs in the room.
King James’ concluding image, which I won’t spoil here, is so delicious and tender it demands to be seen in real time. No, neither Blake nor MacKinnon are basketball stars in their own right; but James’ final vignette might make you forget that for a moment.
King James runs at Theatre Aquarius until October 12. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Aisling Murphy
Aisling is Intermission's former senior editor and the theatre reporter for the Globe and Mail. She likes British playwright Sarah Kane, most songs by Taylor Swift, and her cats, Fig and June. She was a 2024 fellow at the National Critics Institute in Waterford, CT.
LEARN MORE
iPhoto caption: Photo by Michael Cooper.
REVIEW: William Kentridge’s visually extreme Wozzeck disorients at the COC
Instead of merely charting its title character’s fall, this Wozzeck aims to leave its audience in a similarly troubled state.
iPhoto caption: Photo by Elana Emer.
REVIEW: Coal Mine Theatre’s Job is terrifyingly evocative and layered with suspense
Playwright Max Wolf Friedlich unpacks tensions around age, gender, politics, race, and class, painting a truthful yet unflattering portrait of the world we live in today.
iPhoto caption: The cast of Flex. Photo by Elana Emer.
REVIEW: Flex delivers a stirring portrait of ambition, girlhood, and loyalty
The train is only as strong as its weakest link — and in Flex, every player on and offstage pulls with heart, grit, wit, and charm.
iPhoto caption: Pictured (L to R): Jake Epstein as Frank, Isabella Esler as Alice. Photo by Michael Cooper.
REVIEW: Britta Johnson’s Life After shimmers in large-scale Mirvish transfer
The show’s tender excavation of grief’s ambiguities hasn’t lost any power in its journey to a bigger house; in fact, it’s clearer than ever.
iPhoto caption: Photo by Jae Yang.
REVIEW: Tarragon’s wonderful Benevolence reflects on diaspora, community, and place
Playwright-performer Kevin Matthew Wong’s script is heartfelt, conversational, and at times poetic, moving effortlessly between heavier moments of grief and lighter moments of joy and humour.
iPhoto caption: Photo by David Cooper.
REVIEW: Why Not Theatre’s Mahabharata is a glorious theatrical banquet
This extraordinary ensemble of artists has made something truly harmonious, truly epic: a story that speaks to a mythical past, honouring a range of South Asian artistic traditions while also drawing a direct line to where — and who — we are now.
iPhoto caption: Photo by Aisling Murphy.
In the darkest months of Yukon winter, it’s all about the Sun Room
I’m here for a week in January as a guest of Nakai Theatre, a hub for theatrical experimentation and outside-the-box programming in Canada’s westernmost territory.
Armchairs, tattoos, and an online theatre magazine
When I started at Intermission, my world was limited to the confines of an armchair. Arts journalism was a high it felt dangerously fruitless to chase. The life stretched ahead of me was amorphous and frightening, a chasm filled with hand sanitizer and immigration concerns. It was worth crying over a spilled kombucha and scrubbing at the stain.
iPhoto caption: Liz Appel headshot courtesy of Liz Appel.
Five questions with Wights playwright Liz Appel
Intermission spoke with Appel over email for a brief Q&A about Wights, now playing at Crow’s Theatre until February 9.
Call for applications: Publishing and editorial assistant
Intermission Magazine is seeking a dynamic and collaborative individual to join our team.
iPhoto caption: What Writing Can Do: The 2025 Musical Theatre Critics Lab
Announcing What Writing Can Do: The 2025 Musical Theatre Critics Lab
What Writing Can Do is timed to coincide with the Grand and Theatre Aquarius’ co-production of Waitress, which will serve as a jumping-off point for discussions throughout the Lab.
iPhoto caption: A Christmas Story production still by Dahlia Katz.
REVIEW: A Christmas Story feels fresh at Theatre Aquarius
If you want to catch A Christmas Story before it closes, good luck — the show is close to sold out, and with the talent on that stage, it’s not hard to see why.
Comments