Live and in person at Theatre Aquarius, Hamilton, Ont. Playing until Oct. 12, 2024.
Written by Rajiv Joseph
Directed by Haysam Kadri
Set and costumes by Brian Dudkiewicz
Lighting by Louise Guinand
Sound by Maddie Bautista
Cast: Michael Blake
Devin MacKinnon
Diana Reyes (Fly Lady Di)
Two strangers bond over basketball, in particular, the greatness of LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, the play is about friendship, loyalty, helping a friend in need and being a friend in deed.
The Story. Matt is the owner/operator of La Cave wine bar in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. He doesn’t like wine. He loves basketball, namely the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, their star player. Matt has made some bad financial decisions and needs money to get out of debt so he is selling his package of Cleveland Cavalier tickets for the whole season. Shawn is interested and comes to the bar to try and negotiate for the tickets. Shawn doesn’t like wine either so refuses Matt’s offer of a drink. They haggle over the price; rage that LeBron James is going to another team, trade stories about their pasts and becomes fast friends. The play covers the development of their close friendship over several years but with their love of Basketball and LeBron James, intact.
The Production and comment. Brian Dudkiewicz’s set of the wine bar initially is neat, efficient and sets us in that wine bar nicely. Matt (Devin MacKinnon) is comfortable in work pants and shirt. When Shawn (Michael Blake) arrives he wears a baseball cap backwards, comfortable work wear as well—jeans, perhaps a sweatshirt—comfortable.
Matt is played by Devin MacKinnon, as playful when he’s alone, anxious initially when trying to see the tickets, and then accommodating, friendly, and loyal when bonding with Shawn. Shawn is played with easy grace and consideration by Michael Blake. Matt feels he’s been dealt a bad hand in life, and Shawn, this stranger to his life, gently offers that feeling sorry for himself is not helpful.
When they first meet Matt needs the money from the sale of the tickets. Shawn wants the tickets but can’t pay the whole price. The banter is like basketball with Matt being defensive while still having the tickets, but Shawn is the expert dribbler with the ball. I love that give and take so nicely established by these two lovely actors and their director Haysam Kadri.
Both men have had their personal ups and downs over the years and both have been there for the other. The generosity to the other comes naturally and without an edge.
Playwright Rajiv Joseph has beautifully crafted the play so that we see how the friendship developed and matured through the years. I loved that the bond was initially basketball and LeBron James. But over time, it was a natural connection between the two men who couldn’t have been different. Shawn always wanted to be a writer and he was pushed to go to graduate school by Matt’s father. Matt’s mother urged Shawn to go forward too. Matt loaned Shawn money to go to Los Angeles to ‘take meetings’ with some film/tv executives. And he landed a job on a successful show.
Late in Act II it’s referenced that Shawn is Black and it’s Shawn who says that he is the only Black man in the writing room. He offered some comments to the writers about Black references in the script—because HE WOULD KNOW what it’s like to be Black—only they didn’t listen to him, which was disheartening. I thought that one reference was interesting and that the friendship between the two men never needed to reference it.
Diana Reyes (Fly Lady, DJ) provides the funky music before the show and at intermission to keep the audience in the groove.
Lovely play, nicely produced.
Theatre Aquarius presents:
Plays until Oct. 12, 2024.
Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes approx. (1 intermission)