King James by Rajiv Joseph. Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London until 4 January 2025, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Mark Douet.

King James by Rajiv Joseph. Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London until 4 January 2025,

4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“Laugh a lot, cry a little.”

Heart warming and very funny tale of male friendship set Cleveland, Ohio is apparently about a basket ball player called LeBron James and the impact he has on two young  men who are among his fans. Given that I had never heard of him – the King may be globally famous and, as some think, the greatest basket ball player of all time for all I know but as I do  not follow the sport I have no idea  - his celebrity is by the way as is the fact that the play consists of four scenes which match the way the games are ploayed. If basket ball is your thing then possibly it all has added resonance but if it is not this is still an evening not to miss as we see the first meeting between Matt, played by Sam Mitchell, who is a would be entrepreneur owner of a not very successful wine bar and Shawn, played by Enyi Okoronkwo, who dreams of becoming a writer and has come to buy some baseball tickets Matt  has for sale for the series in which LeBron will play having just sold his first short story. Matt needs the money because his latest business venture has failed, while Shawn flush with his story sale, does not have enough to meet what Matt demands. As they haggle they embark on a friendship as they discover their mutual adoration of the game and LeBron.

 We meet them at intervals over the next twelve years as they talk about basket ball, about their idol – his great “crime” was to quit playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and move to LA – fall out of, and fall back into friendship as Matt  never quite gets that “happening” place he wants to run in Cleveland and Shawn becomes one of several writers on a TV show, which is not what he dreamt of becoming and among whom he knows he matters the least. Director Alice Hamilton should have a hit on her hands and she gets tremendous performances from Mitchell and Ohkronkwo – they convey the way dreams over the years not quite coming true, or not at all, affect them perfectly and the fact that in spite of their differences they remain friends. Baseball and Cleveland may be important to Joseph and to his creation of the play but even  if the place, the player and the game mean nothing to you the way the two men bond, fall out and dream their dreams makes for an enthralling evening. The laughter is not heartless, rather it is at the reality of how dreams may never quite come completely true but life goes on in spite of that for pretty well everyone. King James is a funny, moving, terrific play.

Cast

Sam Mitchell – Matt.

Enyi Okoronkwo – Shawn.

Creatives

Director – Alice Hamilton.

Designer – Good Teeth.

Lighting Designer – Matt Haskins.

Sound Designer – Max Pappenheim.