Manhattan Theatre Club presents the New York Premiere of King James that was previously produced and presented with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Groups. Written by Rajiv Joseph Directed by Kenny Leon, starring the originating cast: Glenn Davis (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) and Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary) as two young adults accidentally creating a friendship because of the rise and journey of Lebron James’ career: his highs, his betrayal of Ohio and his world shattering championship title. With the accompanying DJ of Khloe Janel, we see an honest exploration of connection and intimacy between Cavalier Fans.
As you enter the theater, the colors of purple and teal shine on the house seats and swirl around to the music of a live DJ. The songs are reminiscent of music that would play as if you had arrived at a stadium before the beginning of a basketball game. The chattering and buzzing from the audience in harmony with the music established a “hyped up” energy building a sense of anticipation. Looking at the stage, we see a wine bar called “La Cave Du Vin.” Bar stools tucked in and a staircase leading to off stage left with a clear opening to see through to the staircase. Song after song, from Willow to Beyonce, the DJ stops the music and introduces the show and gives the pre-show speech. Soon we are deep into a full blackout. A moment that seemed to last just a minute too long. Then as a theater we all sit as we listen to a very popularized rendition of the national anthem in its entirety. Riff after riff, we sit and await for the show to begin. Sitting and listening to the whole song set up this feeling of moments ready to be seized, but are missed.
L-R: Glenn Davis and Chris Perfetti in the world premiere production of “King James” at Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum June 1 through July 3, 2022.
Photo credit: Craig Schwartz Photography
When the lights come back up, we see Matt (played by Chris Perfetti) sitting on his bar counter, reading a newspaper. He sits and sits. Reading and swinging his legs. Then suddenly crumples up the newspaper and tries to toss it into a trash bin across the room. He misses. We then watch him play a solo game of basketball as he tries to make the shot into the bin but over and over again, he misses. We watch Chris Perfetti’s comedic skills and ability to make incredibly clear choices and fully owning moments established from the start. Soon, his solo game is interrupted by a guest, who we quickly find out is Shawn (played by Glenn Davis), a hopeful Cavs fan hoping to buy Matt’s season tickets. They barter and banter, and in between, they get to know each other. Clear strangers, missing bids for connection from one another, but throughout the whole conversation, they are able to touch back into their passion for the Cavs. The use of language in this play through the voices of Matt versus Shawn is fascinating and effective. From the confident AAVE Matt uses, the audience is ready to laugh at Matt’s language and beats. But Shawn is not laughing. He is always noting the language Matt uses. We see these unspoken assumptions produce potential and actual micro-aggressions rooted in something we should be familiar with by now. Back and forth, they learn more and more about one another. We hear about their high school days, their relationships with their families, and their relationships to going to Cavs games, or in Shawn’s case, their relationship with never getting to go to Cavs games. Matt takes this as a chance to accuse Shawn of simply being a “bandwagon fan.” Shawn refutes this claim by sharing how despite never getting to go (whether it was his choice or not) how much this matters to him because for Shawn It’s the beginning of a breaking a pattern and cycle in his life.
Then oddly enough, Matt feels like he now relates to Shawn’s experience and even though they just met, Matt tells Shawn that “[he is] just like [him.]” Shawn is stunned, and is forced to ask how. Matt begins sharing how just like Shawn, the Cavs were also always there for him throughout his life. And before you know it, this first scene mirrors the beginning of a basketball game. The back and forth and the need to get what they want. Matt wants to sell his tickets, Shawn wants to buy them for a lower price. Shawn then shares how he wrote a short story on Loneliness. Not being lonely, but loneliness. Leading the first touch of how loneliness has plagued these two men. We end scene one with Shawn getting the tickets for cheap, and realizing he now needs someone to go with to the games. Matt subtly offers his availability and interest.
With these two men, we see the awkward struggle for intimacy in male relationships and how sports have become a shortcut to connection and intimacy. Since sports provide things like understanding and roller coaster of emotions, it’s the easiest way to make and maintain friends. Have nothing to say? There is always a new piece of sports media coming to the forefront of the news. Watching these two completely different humans in their different positions in life continue to invest in their friendship based off of their love of basketball became a lovely experience of just watching two humans get closer and closer.
L-R: Chris Perfetti and Glenn Davis in the world premiere production of “King James” at Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum June 1 through July 3, 2022.
Photo credit: Craig Schwartz Photography
The next scene is the game after Lebron leaves the Cavs. Shawn is devastated. Drunk and devastated. Matt seems more unbothered than we were made out to believe. Shawn confesses it’s about the ritual and what the games add to his lives, almost as if he is feigning a detachment from the Cavs to keep himself safe from heartache. The two discuss so many things with nuance and wonderful comedic execution. They share the struggles of being a Fan and whether it’s a “sickness” or an “orientation.” The money, the emotional dependency, the inconsistency, and even comparing being a sports fan to religion. Both have rituals, both rely on communities, and have one person who is somewhat god-like changing the game and leading the fanatics to victory. In this case, their God is not Jesus, but Lebron. We see this religious theme throughout the piece and it was wonderful to watch a deep exploration of the effects of being a fan. How euphoric it is to be a part of something bigger than yourself, and to believe in something so deeply that nothing but that one thing matters. And it becomes worth all the time and money and energy spent on supporting said things in order to earn the title of being a real fan. With this title earned through dedication, one receives acceptance, community and the chance to combat the loneliness of adulthood. Then a shift occurs. Shawn shares how he got accepted into a graduate program for TV Writing in New York City. Like Lebron, he is leaving his home and community for something seemingly “better.” His actions seem to almost mimic Lebron leaving the Cavs. Matt is passive aggressive due to his initial shock and hurt of not being in the know for this huge life event. Matt detaches again with humor and jabs. The two are saying anything other than how they really feel about each other. They are playing around with the truth, having back and forth bits and jokes and finding out in real time how much they mean to one another and how much this is going to change their lives, but they don’t know how to actually say it. A beautiful moment when Shawn is on the stairs, outside the bar while Matt is inside cleaning. They both pulse back and forth between running after the other versus staying put. Their desire for connection is so strong, yet, we are left with a long blackout into intermission.
L-R: Glenn Davis and Chris Perfetti in the world premiere production of “King James” at Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum June 1 through July 3, 2022.
Photo credit: Craig Schwartz Photography
In act 2, we see the bar rotate slowly, again, pushing the tempo of how long we could be watching a revolve turn, to see the set turn into the antique shop that Matt’s family owns. And after hoping to see Shawn thriving in New York after grad school, we see him in uniform working at the Armand’s. Matt arrives, with an energy different than act one. We learn that Shawn is now very close to Matt’s parents, is deeper into the shop community around him, and is on his way to LA for generals. Shawn brings up the topics of housing in LA during these generals and Matt offers to provide for all of Shawn’s travel accommodations. We find out that the business Matt has been dreaming about has hit the ground running and is actually doing really well. Becoming independent and successful seems closer to Matt’s future than Shawn is. Though Shawn is grateful yet there is a sense of palpable discomfort between the imbalance. Then they are both hit with surprising news. Lebron is returning to the Cavs. The two of them have completely opposing reactions. Shawn is ecstatic. Matt is bitter. They discuss how Ohio is the desperate partner who was brutally dumped by Lebron. And how it’s pathetic to welcome Lebron back with open arms. But Shawn rebuttals with the tale of the prodigal son, and how after the years away, the son has learned and grown to simply return home. Matt mutters with spite how Lebron “should have had more respect, and he should have known his place.”
This is the breaking point. All the bubbling microaggressions, the disparities in their relationships, the power imbalance and financial burdens and insinuations that previously birthed a sense of resentment that was never vocalized, is now given a voice.. These feelings have basically been characters on stage with us almost being a part of this game, and now we hold our breath during the confrontation we didn’t know would take the ball. Shawn finally calls out Matt’s behavior to the best of his ability, asking Matt take accountability for something he “didn’t even think about.” And Matt plays defense, refuting every claim and escalating every claim Shawm makes to a degree where the two aren’t even playing the same game anymore. They are just fighting with no end in sight.
L-R: Glenn Davis and Chris Perfetti in the world premiere production of “King James” at Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum June 1 through July 3, 2022.
Photo credit: Craig Schwartz Photography
The final scene hits, and of course, the tables have turned. Matt is working for his parents and the shop is closing. “Everything must go ” and Matt sits alone, eating fast-food, living the life he has only dread about. Then Shawn enters the store LA-ified. Shawn’s LA career was fruitful and he is now a relatively successful TV writer. They chat as if there wasn’t distance between the two. And as we find out, the Cavs just made history. Lebron just led the Cavs to a Championship against the Warriors. Shawn brings it up, and Matt brushes it off. Claims he is done with being a fan. It does nothing but annoy him. They banter again. Shawn doesn’t believe Matt doesn’t care. Matt critiques his show. They struggle to have a consistent conversation between the two because there are just too many things to talk about. Shawn expresses how he wants to celebrate the win at the town’s parade. But Matt refuses. Refusal after refusal, until he finally caves and confesses he did watch the game and he can’t help but care. Shawn reveals he was at the game. Truly at the game.
And just like this final game, it encompassed the journey of their friendship. From the beginning, to the suspense, to the stall, to a divine finish. The two start talking about the truth to the best of their ability. Still using sports as a substitute for intimacy, but it’s growth. Shawn admits that “ when you get older, you realize… you realize how much you didn’t realize… how much certain people mean to you.” And we end the show with a wonderful game of one on one imaginary trash basketball. The two fully commit to seriously playing this game with their whole selves, and almost brought tears to my eyes. The playfulness and the laughter, their ability to almost travel back in time to their youthful selves. The versions of themselves that were filled with loneliness getting to enjoy the presence of one another. Then the show ends with a cinematic Freeze frame of an iconic basketball pose.
Both characters embody loneliness from opposing sides of the masculine spectrum, and through beautiful nuanced and clever writing, Rajiv Joseph explores how important it is that we invest in one another. And no matter how we get to it, we need community and people. And it helps when those around you love what you love, but they do need to remain accountable to their personhoods outside of fanatic interests. Relationships are complicated, and while critiquing fan culture and religious ideologies, we see how toxic this mindset can be. It can bring you into situations that inevitably abandon you into a state of loneliness. Kenny Leon directed a wonderfully specific show with tact and grace. His use of tempo and specifically crafted between beats and lines afforded the audience a forced participation into specific and seemingly normal conversations. We are surrounded by how awkward and difficult it is to connect, grow up, struggle, and change. And with the silliness in Joseph’s text, we can see how worth it is to invest in people. And maybe practice questioning ourselves when we face discomfort and biases and privilege in a fandom that harbors a specific type of community. And at the end of the day, dedication to a sports team can bring you community whether you want it or not.
King James is playing at Manhattan Theatre Club. Pictures by Luke Fontana.
