The Brothers Size by Tarell Alvin McCraney
a critique by Korinn Annette Jefferies, korinnannette.com
in 2007, director Bijan Sheibani said he “couldn’t stop reading [‘The Brothers Size’ by Tarell Alvin McCraney].”
I concur. I’ve read it twice, and it’s short so it’s a quick read but it’s also a thrilling read because there is an intensity that McCraney maintains throughout the piece that keeps you engaged. even if you know what’s going to happen, you are eager to re-discover how it happened. as I read I find myself looking for things I may have missed, and interpreting the emptiness of the script in different ways.
I’ve heard people talk about the writing as ‘open.’
there is a lot in the script that is left to the imagination though productions of the piece seem to be ritualized in staging, generally being presented in the same distinctive, minimalist manner— a manner that is not explicitly described in my copy of the script, published by Dramatists Play Service in 2013. there is so much of the play that can only be discovered through dramaturgy (believe it or not), including an entire portion of Act 2 Scene 5 in which Oshoosi and Ogun sing Otis Redding’s ‘Try a Little Tenderness’ and there is not a single indication in the script of what song the brothers may be singing.
it is a beautiful script that leaves much to the imagination.
when I think about this work being done well/properly I think about the scholarship it requires. you have to want to get it right.
the play starts with an invocation— the play superficially engages Yoruba cosmology in a way that serves as a great introduction to the study of these gods. The Brothers Size is the first written, second play in McCraney’s triptych The Brother/Sister Plays. in all of the plays, the characters have the names of Yoruba gods and goddesses, often embodying their associated traits. The Brothers Size tells the story of brothers Ogun and Oshoosi Size, as they navigate Oshoosi’s release from prison.
the play contextualizes recidivism through marginality, freedom, love and desire.
while Ogun’s love for his baby brother Oshoosi is exemplified through his eagerness to provide a healthy lifestyle for him, it is this same love that drives him to separate himself from Oshoosi at the end of the play.
Oshoosi’s return to civilian life is complicated by the presence of Elegba, a former prisonmate of Oshoosi, who is constantly reminding him of life behind bars.
there is a constant dance between Ogun and Elegba for Oshoosi, and ultimately, Oshoosi succumbs to his desire/the illusion of freedom.
the play is beautiful.
there is so much that can be left up to interpretation in staging. it makes me wonder if the space is too big— is it possible that a director could interpret the piece in a way that detracts from McCraney’s intentions?
what happens if the song is not ‘Try a Little Tenderness’ and is instead ‘Pop, Lock and Drop It’ by Huey?
(perhaps it is something a bit more thoughtful)
there’s nothing to say it can’t be done.
does it change the story?
what happens if the play is not performed in the round? if there is no choreography, just blocking?
the world premiere of The Brothers Size is officially recognized as a production directed by Robert O’Hara in 2009. it’s European premiere was in 2008 under the direction of Bijan Sheibani in London at Young Vic. in 2024, Bijan Sheibani directed the piece again (he does this a lot) at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. McCraney, when involved in the production process, is pretty consistent about collaborating with directors who have been associated with The Brothers Size throughout it’s development process.
when I look at production photos from shows McCraney has (presumably) not been a part of, I notice subtle differences:
red sand instead of white sand is used to mark the circle around the playing area.
there will always be creative liberties taken when something is left to the imagination.
how does a playwright decide what is necessary to tell the story/what can be interpreted to no consequence?