King James Reviews

Washington Post- Recommended

"...Throughout the play, which premiered in Chicago in 2022, LeBron serves as the conversation starter that allows Shawn and Matt to confide in each other. But nothing too deep. Because any time a heavy topic thickens the air and threatens their vulnerability, the men find the escape door by - what else? - talking hoops."

DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended

"...Is LeBron James the “king,” or is it Michael Jordan? That debate is a small motif in Rajiv Joseph’s warm-hearted King James, running at Round House Theatre through June 22, but it underscores the two characters’ passion for the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, their former star player (James), and what it means to be a superfan — and how, in a time when American men report increased feelings of isolation and dissatisfaction, sports can still be a glue for meaningful male friendship."

Washington City Paper- Highly Recommended

"...Ultimately, though King James name-checks plenty of Cavs players and revels in the degree to which sports can irrationally screw with a person’s mood (take it from a soccer fan whose team forgot how to play for long stretches of last season), it’s so much more than a play about basketball and its discontents. Yes, devotion to the team and the outsize role LeBron James played in Cleveland’s economy is in the play’s fabric, but so are wit and affection that anyone can appreciate, whether you know your point guard from your center or not."

Stage and Cinema- Highly Recommended

"...Rajiv Joseph's King James-which opened last night at Round House Theatre-isn't a revival of the 1611 Bible translation, but a contemporary comedy named for a different kind of king: LeBron James. Structuring the play like a basketball game in four quarters, Joseph uses the rise and fall of Cleveland Cavaliers fandom as a backdrop for a nuanced, heartfelt exploration of straight male friendship."

MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended

"...The term "buddy comedy" usually denotes a story about the enduring bond between two generally different, generally male characters as we watch them embark upon some sort of journey, life or otherwise. Award-winning playwright Rajiv Joseph uses this trope of the buddy comedy in "King James," but breaking beyond the stereotypical set-ups and easy laughs, Joseph gives us something deeply moving, eminently resonant, and most certainly unforgettable."