The Royale at Writers Theatre is a TKO

Writers Theatre’s production of The Royale is a total TKO, serving up a ringside seat to a bare-knuckled fight for life, dignity, and the pursuit of a lick-back. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the fictionalized story loosely chronicles the life and rise of the first Black world heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Johnson, aka the Galveston Giant. But Marco Ramirez’s play is not your run-of-the-mill sports glory story. The narrative and set are stripped down to minimal elements, and under the deft direction of Tyrone Phillips, the cast and the immensely talented scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers coalesce to create an engrossing atmosphere of chalk and sweat that doesn’t let up for a breakneck 90 minutes.

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