Review: Duke & Roya Lands the Romance but Muddles Its Politics

Unlikely pairings make for good romance stories, and an unlikely pair is definitely what we get in Charles Randolph-Wright’s Duke & Roya, now running at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. He’s a suave hip hop artist who grew up in privilege but created a gangster persona to achieve fame. She’s an Afghani interpreter secretly fighting oppression in a society embroiled in near-constant conflict. While their story goes deeper than the usual meet-cute, breakup, and reunion, the play’s politics remain mostly superficial         .

It’s 2017, and Duke (Jay Ellis), a famous American musician, is performing at a military base in Kabul. He immediately turns his charm on his interpreter, Roya (Stephanie Nur). Roya, though, resists his advances. This makes Duke determined to learn more about her history and culture, which leads to his growing awareness of the oppression women in Afghanistan face. It makes him more likable when this becomes his focus, but it’s also dangerously naive. Duke’s entitlement in thinking he can move through Kabul however he wants threatens not only Roya’s safety but that of her father (Dariush Kashani). He’s also totally pissing off his mom (Noma Dumezweni), a high-powered attorney working for the World Bank.

As far as romances go, the premise is pretty absurd. The idea that an internationally famous American hip hop artist would have enough in common with an Afghani interpreter to fall in love is a hard sell. It’s a testament to the skill of the actors, as well as a script going into overdrive to persuade us, that the play works at all. Ellis’s performance is committed and convincing. Randolph-Wright’s script gives him several ways to connect to Roya, and Ellis plays all of these notes well. His musical performances as Duke are a highlight, whether he is hyping up the crowd with a party jam, confessing his love for Roya, or tackling social issues.

Ronvé O’Daniel’s original music sounds great and helps sell Duke’s character arc, especially when Duke freestyles and we see his creative output in real time. Nur matches Ellis in her commitment to her character, but because the script offers less clarity on why she is interested in Duke (other than possibly his charm), the romance is lopsided. When she is given more to do, like a storyline which explores how being “raised as a boy” as part of Afghani tradition has shaped her as an adult, Nur shines.

Dumezweni and Kashani become more central to the action in the second half in surprising and intriguing ways. Dumezweni is simply a powerhouse. Through her performance, her character becomes just as complex as the two leads, and gives voice to some uncomfortable truths about Duke and Roya’s relationship. Kashani, the most stereotypical character of the group, adds more texture than what is on the page.

Coming up with believable reasons to keep the love interests apart is where most romances fall short. Duke & Roya doesn’t have that problem—complex geo-political issues, as well as international superstardom, are good reasons why this couple is struggling to make it work. Unfortunately, the political elements don’t play as strongly as the interpersonal ones.

A plot point where Roya interprets for an important prisoner is underdeveloped and not fully mined for conflict. Tension between interpreters and the military, as well as America’s abandonment of tens of thousands of interpreters after pulling out of Afghanistan, is touched upon but not fully dramatized. There are some leaps in logic too: Would Duke really be that unaware of the dangers in Kabul when his mother works in international relations? And some late-in-the-play political machinations are hand-waved over, leading to a less satisfying ending for Duke and Roya’s story.

The production elements are cinematic, which works well in some moments and less so in others. Warren Adams’s direction, lighting design by Amina Alexander, and projection and video design by Caite Hevner sometimes seem at odds, but they work well enough to get the story across. One effect in the first act was especially smooth and arresting, making up for a clunkier montage sequence.

A mix of high points and mediocre ones, Duke & Roya is successful as a romantic drama but less so as political one. Given America’s history in the Middle East and the current conflict in Iran, this might be doing a disservice to its own characters. But audiences looking for a romantic evening will enjoy it.