Assist: King James @ Hampstead Theatre, London
Not the Scottish King, but the basketball GOAT. In a beautiful and engaging two man play, two friends debate life, class, expectations, opportunities times, family and basketball as their lives and emotions rise and fall.
Times are a changin’. King LeBron James is coming to the Cleveland Cavaliers — only Matt (Sam Mitchell) needs cash and so has to sell his familial stadium seats. Cue Shawn (Enyi Okoronkwo), who comes into the bar (as a Brit, I want to say wine bar here but it probably isn’t!) where Matt works to enquire about the tickets, the price and if they come as a pair. Shawn is humble, shy, a writer with a hard working Mom and dreaming of opportunity. Matt comes from a lot of family privilege, but never seems to make the right moves, find the right opportunities — or get the right girl, Yet Matt is opened and impressed by Shawn’s talents to create a story and get people to read it, even invest in it.
In a vignette of scenes, time passes. Shawn starts working at Matt’s parents antique shop — and almost becomes a surrogate son. Matt can’t seem to appreciate the good things his parents have given him (like business loans) and seems uneasy at Shawn’s closeness to his family — and his restoring the paw of the antique armadillo, treasured stalwart of the store. Keeping on keeping on, Shawn starts writing scripts and moves to LA (which so many of us are remembering and supporting right now).
At the same time there’s tension as the friends clash, misunderstand each other and their GOAT. Less a Basketball version of This Is England and more a drama about male friendship, I wish there’d been a bit more basketball than talk about it. We do see some hoop shooting, we also see the highs and the lows of the Cavaliers — and how the GOAT inspires them — and lets them down.
However, there is forgiveness and reconciliation — and at last — a game, as Shawn returns to check in on Matt, to listen, and encourage him to come to the game, leaving his parents on sale antiques store. There’s kindness there.
Uniquely, this is a play about men talking, male friendship and men listening, sharing, respecting, admiring, consoling, hoping and loving on each other. Both love their sport — and their team (and their man), but Shawn doesn’t have anyone to go to the game with. Picking Matt’s brain for top tips, Matt offers to go with him — and they keep popping back into each other’s lives to discuss the game, At his lowest point, working in his parents’ store, feeling that the girl he’s serious about is going to dump him, shooting hoops with Shawn helps Matt to allow his friend to care for him, check in on him, feel his sadness and hang with him again. To connect.
Funny, charming, engaging acting and a delightful ear for dialogue, loved, loved, loved Rajiv Joseph’s writing and characters. My only complaint — I wanted the play to go on for longer and to see more of these characters!
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