The Royale
83

The Royale NYC Reviews and Tickets

83%
(153 Ratings)
Positive
90%
Mixed
6%
Negative
4%
Members say
Great acting, Great staging, Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Intelligent

About the Show

Lincoln Center Theater presents a play loosely based on the life story of Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight champion in history.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (153)

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252 Reviews | 116 Followers
88
Boxing to prove something

See it if you'd like a play that exposes the raw racial discriminations faced by black men & women in 1905. Excellent acting, great sets, poignant.

Don't see it if you dislike great drama that viscerally cuts to the crux of the matter at hand. This play does that. LCT recently aired a tape online. Great

96 Reviews | 32 Followers
88
Clever, Great staging, Ambitious

See it if Very interesting play and very clever staging. Its rather short but packed full of incredible performances. Fascinating story, very well tol

Don't see it if You have no interest in boxing or if short plays bother you.

179 Reviews | 29 Followers
87
Absorbing, Great acting, Great staging, Relevant, Intense

See it if if you are interested in race in America issues, which are becoming more relevant each day

Don't see it if you like light theater that entertains, and relaxes you, calms you down after a stressful day

197 Reviews | 74 Followers
87
Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Great acting, Original, Relevant

See it if you want to see a beautiful performance by four outstanding actors who take over the little Newhouse stage with a passionate intensity

Don't see it if you don't want to think about the persistence of discrimination in our country; though set in the past, this story resonates strongly today

350 Reviews | 163 Followers
86
Thought-provoking, Relevant, Great writing, Great staging, Great acting

See it if you want to see a show that while set in 1905, feels just as relevant today. Very clever staging enhances the telling of this powerful story

Don't see it if you don't want to see a show about the Jim Crow south at the turn of the 20th century. Read more

175 Reviews | 20 Followers
86
Great acting, Great staging, Absorbing, Intense, Thought-provoking

See it if You want to see a tense, beautifully choreographed drama about racism.

Don't see it if You prefer your plays light and fluffy.

542 Reviews | 82 Followers
86
Ambitious, Great acting, Great staging, Intelligent, Profound

See it if you enjoy the abstract that can trigger your imagination as only live theater can do.

Don't see it if you are looking for the Great White Hope.

576 Reviews | 88 Followers
86
Clever, Entertaining, Edgy, Great acting, Great staging

See it if you want to see a show that will make you think, a show that is so well staged it takes your breath away, a show that matters

Don't see it if you want something light and fun

Critic Reviews (29)

Examiner
October 11th, 2014
For a previous production

"Deftly directed by Rachel Chavkin and her dream team of actors (all five are without a doubt perfect for their roles), 'The Royale' is certainly different and worthy of a look see...Ramirez zeroes in on the signs of the times to the detriment of expanding on character development or really putting any meat on the bones of this play."
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San Diego Story
October 11th, 2014
For a previous production

"The gimmick, awkward at first, soon settles into tense routine, persuasive enough that some audience members join in, as punches are exploded by movement and by blasts of explosive lighting...Chavkin’s staging is bold, self-assured and ultimately convincing. Would it support a more nuanced, ambiguous script? Maybe not. But it would have been fascinating if Ramirez had given her some additional substance to deepen the violent little world she has constructed."
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L
October 15th, 2014
For a previous production

"Nicholas Vaughan’s boxing ring set design on the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre stage works well for different beats of the story and the juxtaposition of the characters — especially when threats become a stumbling block to Jay’s journey."
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UCSD The Guardian
October 23rd, 2014
For a previous production

"Part of playwright Ramirez’s brilliance is that Jackson’s internal strife makes it difficult to predict the outcome of the plot...Just as we think things are about to settle, the conflicting character’s desires complicates matters further — and these emotions show greatly in the final match. It’s a combination of brilliant staging, acting and structure of the play itself that contributes to a wonderful experience that flashes back to the struggles of African-Americans in 1905."
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San Diego Jewish World
October 13th, 2014
For a previous production

"'The Royale' is a knockout from the first punch to the last...Like a boxer, the show relies on rhythm, timing, and fancy footwork to transport the audience to the vibrant world of the boxing circuit at the turn of the 20th century...The play is a true ensemble piece, and on opening night, the cast shone, delivering a nearly flawless performance."
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