Review: THE BROTHERS SIZE at Emerson Studio In The Loretto-Hilton Center

Post-prison life and family strife collide in The Brothers Size, the first of three productions this season for the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ Steve Woolf Studio Series. This highly charged drama, presented in partnership with Prison Performing Arts, is one of the company’s most visceral productions to date.

Written by playwright, screenwriter, and actor Tarell Alvin McCraney, who won an Academy Award for his film Moonlight in 2016,.

Performed in the round with no intermission, his play combines Yoruba cosmology with the real-life challenges surrounding prison life.

The second play in McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays trilogy, The Brothers Size is intense, provocative, and grimy. The drama meshes themes of family, love, loyalty, hope, and second chances as they relate to Black identity, masculinity, and family.

The production uses ritualistic language to create terse dialogue. It also is unique in that it features stage directions spoken by the company's actors.

The plot focuses on Ogun Size, a car repair shop owner who has made it a point to walk the straight and narrow. Hard-working and known as the best mechanic in town, he is a father figure for his brother Oshoosi, who has recently been released from jail following a two-year sentence.

Knowing that his younger brother will face pressures in the outside world, Ogun acts as a strict guardian, making sure he gets up on time to go to work and stays out of trouble. His disciplinary tactic rubs Oshoosi the wrong way.

Restless and eager to enjoy his freedom, Oshoosi resents the confinement caused by his brother. For him, life after prison is an opportunity to begin again. Despite Ogun’s best intentions, his little brother resents being constricted and held back. As a result, a fractured and contentious relationship exists between them.

Complicating Ogun’s efforts is Elegba, a slippery character who served time with Oshoosi. Reminding him of the bond they forged in prison, he arrives at the garage, much to the chagrin of Ogun.

Further raising Ogun’s suspicions is the gift of a car that Elegba brings for his brother. Although it is stolen, for Oshoosi, the auto means freedom and an opportunity to break away from his brother’s careful watch. But, unbeknownst to him, it also opens the door for trouble down the line.

As the play progresses, the tension between Elegba and Ogun rises. Ogun clearly dislikes his brother’s friend and sees him as a threat to all he has worked for in keeping his sibling out of trouble.

Feeling as if others judge him by his brother’s actions, Ogun confronts his younger brother. However, his actions are too late as Elegba has gotten him into trouble with the law.

Tensions flare between them when the police come calling.  Repressed emotions boil to the surface as the two brothers confront one another. Both connected and separated, Ogun and Oshoosi face their destiny as the walls close in around them.

Relying on no props or sets, the cast is fueled by high-octane performances. The talented Nic Few‘s debut with The Rep is seismic. Carrying the emotional gravitas of the play on his shoulders, he is ferocious.

Joining him is Christian Kitchens as Oshoosi. The talented local actor gives his character a likable vulnerability that makes audiences root for him to succed. His passionate debut here is a sign that his career will undoubtedly feature many more terrific performances.

Donald Jones Jr. is electrifying as the wily Elegba. His rep debut gives audiences a character whose cheerful smile and charming demeanor mask a handful of troubles. Onstage, Jones delights in playing the foil to the two brothers.  His layered performance features a character wrestling with his own pain after incarceration.

Staged for the first time in St.Louis, The Brothers Size is an unflinching look at the effects of incarceration on both the individual and the family.  Directed by Jacqueline Thompson, the artistic director of Metro Theater Company, and choreographed by Kirven Douthit-Boyd, the artistic director of Saint Louis Dance Theatre, this taut production brings the heat.

St. Louis Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. THE SECOND HURRICANE (Stray Dog Theatre)

11.1% of votes

2. THE PROM (Gateway Center for Performing Arts)

7.8% of votes

3. 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL (Alton Little Theater)

7.2% of votes

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