Alani iLongwe and André Holland in The Brothers Size at The Shed.
Photo by Marc J. Franklin. Courtesy of The Shed.

Staging Humanity in The Brothers Size

In a black box theater, anything is possible. An empty stage can become a broken home, a struggling auto body shop, a prison cell, or even the interior of one’s mind. With a minimal set, deliberate lighting cues, a sensational score by Munir Zakee, and the magnetic performances of André Holland, Alani iLongwe, and Malcolm Mays, The Brothers Size provides a theatrical experience that is both heart-wrenching and invigorating. In the wake of finishing a stint in prison, Oshoosi Size (Alani iLongwe) returns home to find his older brother, Ogun Size (André Holland), battling an existential sense of confinement; they eventually forge a bond through their shared traumas.

Tarell Alvin McCraney published the text for The Brothers Size nearly twenty years ago during a vastly different social and political climate. What is particularly haunting is that the play feels like it could have been written thirty years before its publishing date just as well as today.

The oppressive practices of the United States criminal justice system are capable of time travel. The traumatic threads of incarceration are felt by millions of families across generations, fundamentally reshaping relationships and alienating incarcerated individuals. Inextricably tied to the carceral system is America’s relationship to slavery and the means by which large, faceless government bodies strip people of their individuality and personhood. With the ghost of slavery looming so large over Black culture’s place in modern-day American society, there is an expectation of tragedy within Black stories. Although such stories often address real experiences deserving of attention, an unfortunate byproduct is the flattening of the Black identity into a broken monolith, still presently reeling from the past. McCraney’s play, however, delicately interrogates the pitfalls of Black trauma without submitting to it, providing an acknowledgement of context and setting while preserving the unique shape and color of the play’s characters.

Alani iLongwe and André Holland in The Brothers Size at The Shed.
Photo by Marc J. Franklin. Courtesy of The Shed.

The Brothers Size centers the subtle struggles of Oshoosi readjusting to life post-incarceration and navigating a newly defined relationship with Ogun. Importantly, the play doesn’t rehash the well-documented traumas of life in prison, nor the initial crime that led to Oshoosi’s sentence, other than through veiled allusions and abstract dream scenarios. The choice not to depict or extensively examine these potential dramatic peaks gives the audience a chance to recognize the personhood of Oshoosi beyond the scope of any label of criminal or convict. The plot of the play further reinforces this dynamic as Oshoosi desperately seeks to rid himself of all indications of his life as a former inmate.

Oshoosi Size is the antithesis of the media’s imagined “Black criminal.” He is jovial, playful, charismatic, and innocent. Alani iLongwe approaches the role with an infectious warmth and genuine light that instantly makes Oshoosi more than just a sympathetic character; he becomes the embodiment of hope through seemingly insurmountable circumstances. In stark contrast, Ogun is firmly rooted not only in his own reality but also in his little brother’s, manifesting in a hypervigilance that superficially presents as anger but is, in actuality, a practiced strategy to conceal his heartbreak.

Oshoosi and Ogun represent two inverse manifestations of Black masculinity that rely on different coping strategies to deal with the threats surrounding them and capture some semblance of control over their chaotic world. Oshoosi uses comedy as a shield to effectively redirect the negativity and traumas of his past, bringing levity to his present; meanwhile, Ogun uses discipline and self-restraint to give himself a sense of preparedness for any unseen circumstances that may come his way.

André Holland, Malcolm Mays, and Alani iLongwe in The Brothers Size at The Shed.
Photo by Marc J. Franklin. Courtesy of The Shed.

The play comes to an emotional swell as new layers to Ogun’s stern exterior are gradually revealed through André Holland’s performance. Soundtracked by Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness,” Ogun (Holland) sheds the protective shell obscuring the softer sides of his personality and displays a level of vulnerability that instantly contextualizes his previous demeanor as the two brothers gleefully sing and dance along to the classic soul song together. By abandoning his solemn armor, Ogun finally expresses the depth of love he holds for his brother. Witnessing the intimacy between Ogun and Oshoosi momentarily eliminates the horrific world they must inhabit and provides a glimpse into the childlike nature to which all people can connect.

The Brothers Size explores a nuance in Black masculinity that strips away sensationalism and earnestly challenges myths about nature versus nurture and social determinism. Despite their intertwined upbringing and conditioning, the Size brothers' outward personas project an intense contrast. Still, at their core is a similar set of values and priorities. The brothers both hold a vast well of love inside of them, but unfortunately, they are repeatedly punished by a hostile world for embracing their sensitivity. The moment Oshoosi lets his guard down around his friend and potential romantic partner, Elegba, he is hounded by the specter of his past through the character of The Sheriff, who functions as an antagonistic force throughout the play yet is never actually seen. Similarly, once Ogun professes his intrinsic and instinctual care for his brother, he must almost immediately let Oshoosi go or suffer through watching his brother return to prison.

Malcolm Mays, Alani iLongwe, and André Holland in The Brothers Size at The Shed.
Photo by Marc J. Franklin. Courtesy of The Shed.

Although the subject matter of the play is profoundly heavy, there is a stubborn optimism that persists in the Size brothers’ perseverance and captures the dichotomy of being Black in America. While the brothers continue to get beaten down by the world around them, no outside forces or external circumstances can tarnish their love for one another. Love doesn’t necessarily follow a singular path, nor does it move without substantial obstacles. But just like Ogun waking up every morning for work, or Oshoosi walking up a steep hill, nothing can impede its movement.