As soon as they cast the red dust, I was into it. Even more when I realized there would be only three actors. And once Oshoosi and Ogun began singing together, I was in love. The show, perfectly paced, hit a number of beats that engaged the audience further and further, retracing their movements and emotions just as Ogun retraced his pantomime of getting out from under the car over and over again. The spare set let the relationships shine and made every movement, every line significant in this intimate retelling of the way two black brothers encounter America. The dreams, the slow revelation, the folk tale name - it incorporated everything old that is new again (elements of traditional storytelling and folk tales) as well as the ever-present issue of police discrimination against black men and the complexity of a sibling relationship.
I don't think I'll ever forget the scene of the brother singing, completing the trajectory of pure vulnerability just before they are torn apart (potentially forever). The arc and pacing of the show revealed just enough for us to be engaged and in love and afraid for them that the pay off of the scene engrossed us all, potentially the only time I stopped thinking of myself and others as conscious audience members and became immersed. Overall, The Brothers Size is an immersive emotional experience that used movement and minimalism to great effect.
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