Review: THE ROYALE at Geva Theatre

The Royale, the 2015 play by Marco Ramirez currently playing in Geva Theatre's Fielding Stage, isn't as much about boxing as it is about race, greatness, and a man who's moving faster than the world around him. It's an intimate, lyrical play, and continues Geva's recent tradition of hosting productions grown at Ithaca's Kitchen Theatre Company, another artistic gem just a couple hours down the 390.

The Royale is the story of Jay 'The Sport' Jackson (Jamal James), a boxer loosely based on late19th/early 20th century boxer Jack Johnson, who became the first African American world heavyweight champion. Jackson is an unbeatable titan in the ring, but can only get so far in the boxing world as a black man in early-1900's Jim Crow America. Alongside his trainer Wynton (Alexander Thomas), promoter Max (Sean Meehan), and opponent-turned-sparring partner Fish (Rochester native Dazmann Still), Jay navigates systemic racial inequities for a chance to pull a retired heavyweight champ back in the ring, learning along the way that for a black man in a racialized society, reaching the top isn't as easy as "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps."

The greatness of this production of The Royale lies at the intersection of Ramirez' pointed and aggressive societal criticism-brought to life by a brilliant performance from Jamal James-and Pironne Yousefzadeh's fluid, almost musical direction. Audience members may have been expecting a "boxing play" featuring brutal punches and careful fight choreography, but what they get is closer to ballet, as Jay Jackson floats throughout the ring (the single set piece of the whole play), bobbing-and-weaving around his opponents.

Instead of actually making physical connection with the other fighter, the "punches" are represented with loud clapping noises, and knockouts are symbolized by colossal footstomps from Jackson. It's a brilliant bit of staging and adds to the musicality of a play that audience members-including myself-were probably expecting to be just another boilerplate sports melodrama.

But The Royale is anything but boilerplate. It shows a man whose fierceness in the ring and boldness of spirit are still playing second fiddle to the fact that he's a black man in a white man's world, whose athletic greatness is no match against the societal forces of racism.

Equally impressive as the production's leading man and creative direction is the performance from Sean Meehan, whose Max is lifted straight out of the early 1900's, handlebar moustache and all. Meehan perfectly recreates the boxing announcer persona of the day, while also delivering physical comedy and pointed dialogue.

The Royale is intense and heartfelt, delivering a searing message about the societal forces of racism dominating early 20th century America, that are unfortunately still ever-present in the America we live in today; it's absolutely a play that everyone should see. It is 75 minutes long, performed without intermission, and is playing until April 28th. For tickets and more information, click here.

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