Review: THE BROTHERS SIZE at Portland Center Stage

Tarell Alvin McCraney's THE BROTHERS SIZE, currently playing at Portland Center Stage, under Chip Miller’s direction, presents an ambitious fusion of Yoruban mythology and contemporary American life.

Set in the Louisiana Bayou, the play follows Ogun Size, a hardworking auto mechanic trying to connect with and guide his younger brother Oshoosi, recently released from prison. Their relationship is complicated by the arrival of Elegba, Oshoosi's former prison-mate who represents a competing influence in Oshoosi's life. The play examines the long reach of incarceration and thoughtfully explores questions of loyalty, identity, and the competing pulls of responsibility and freedom, concrete past and imagined future.

This show has a rich mythological subtext, which I wish I had been more familiar with in advance. Ogun is named after the Yoruban god of iron, war, and labor. In mythology, he uses his machete to clear a path through the wilderness. In the play, he’s determined to forge a straight path for his brother. Oshoosi is the god of the hunt and the wilderness. He represents both the hunter and the hunted, capturing the character’s precarious position as he seeks a sense of freedom while being tracked by his past. Elegba is a trickster god of crossroads and pathways who delivers both opportunity and temptation. In the play, he represents both genuine connection with Oshoosi and a potential return to imprisonment. The sexual nature of their relationship add another layer to the mythological parallel, reflecting Elegba's association with desire and forbidden knowledge.

The production's greatest strength lies in its exceptional cast. Austin Micheal Young brings a steadfast gravity to Ogun, embodying both the character's frustration and fierce devotion to his brother. Charles Grant captures Oshoosi's restlessness and yearning for freedom with compelling vulnerability. Gerrin Delane Mitchell completes the triangle as the enigmatic Elegba, skillfully navigating the character's duplicitous nature and complex connection to Oshoosi.

Brittany Vasta's monumental set design creates an evocative backdrop for the story, while Joel Ferraro’s lighting effectively conveys the mundane and the mystical.

However, the production occasionally struggles with clarity. This is a complex play with a lot going on – the blending of reality, mythology, memory, and dreams; characters that speak their own stage directions (why?); and even some choreography. It needs crystal clear direction. At times, I found that this production emphasized abstraction and otherworldliness at the expense of understanding.

THE BROTHERS SIZE runs through May 18. Details and tickets here.