Warning: spoilers ahead.

Blurring the boundaries of family and traditional storytelling, “The Brothers Size” serves as a raw exploration of love and loyalty.

Currently showing at the Geffen Playhouse’s Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater until Sep. 8, this production marks the 20th anniversary of acclaimed playwright and new artistic director Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play. Directed by Bijan Sheibani, this piece navigates complex brotherly relationships in the Louisiana Bayou and features three characters – formerly incarcerated younger brother Oshoosi (Alani Ilongwe), hardworking older brother Ogun (Sheaun McKinney) and pervasive previous inmate Elegba (Malcolm Mays) – as they wrestle with the fragility of freedom, the search for belonging and the lingering consequences of their past.

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Welcomed by the rhythmic beats of the djembe and smooth tones of the saxophone from musician, sound designer and composer Stan Mathabane, the audience, seated in an arena-style theater, is immersed in the show’s intimate world before the first lines are even spoken. Drawing from the culture of the Yoruba people of West Africa, the play opens with a ceremonial song as Elegba encircles Oshoosi, who is lost in a bad dream, in a ring of white asphalt while Ogun shovels behind, symbolically consecrating their performance space.

The minimalist set design and casual costuming focalizes the strong casting of the actors and their captivating on-stage chemistry. The first scene quickly establishes the brothers’ character dynamics, with Ogun pressuring Oshoosi to find work while the latter pushes back on authority through sharply clever and witty dialogue that addresses the audience directly in Bertolt Brecht fashion.

Due to the linear plot, nightmares of the past plague the realities of the present throughout the production through a variety of monologues, poetic dialogue and the occasionally jarring breaking of the fourth wall that categorize this play into a genre of its own. Without fail, each line grips the audience with its striking vulnerability, dynamic humor or captivating intensity, which can only be attributed to the brilliant casting and ingenious work of McCraney.

Furthermore, Juel D. Lane’s choreography is used as a powerful tool to smoothly blend scene transitions and act as a dynamic outlet of expression during pivotal moments of the play. When Ogun decides to stop holding Oshoosi accountable and the latter misses his ride to work, for example, they enter a fluid synchronized dance with Elegba, signaling a shift in the narrative as Oshoosi is forced to take on more responsibility, and Ogun allows himself to step down as a parental figure. Similarly, a heartfelt and playful dance scene near the end of the play reminds the brothers of what could’ve been before Oshoosi is forced to leave for good.

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In addition, lighting designer Adam Honoré masterfully manipulates shadows and a vivid color palette to create a cinematic feel and add a provocative edge to the production. When Elegba appears on the edges of the asphalt circle at both the beginning and end of the play, a dim blue light envelops him, symbolizing the trouble he embodies and the shadow of Oshoosi’s dark past. Moreover, as Oshoosi recounts how he got entangled with the police, a spotlight is used to isolate him and Elegba, emphasizing the reveal and significance of the unexpected homoerotic tones of their friendship.

One of the most powerful moments toward the end of the 90-minute play is McKinney’s striking monologue, where he exposes Ogun’s long harbored resentment and closeted jealousy toward his brother, unmasking his vulnerability in an impassioned fit of rage while Oshoosi crouches in tears below him. This profound and long-awaited breakthrough creates a tender and tough atmosphere, released when Ogun drives his point home and kisses Oshoosi on the head, once again reminding Oshoosi of his unwavering brotherly love.

Concluding with the verbal announcement of the play’s end, the fourth wall’s final breaking pulls audiences back into their own realities. Redefining brotherhood and exploring self-expression, “The Brothers Size” remains as painstakingly relevant and transformative a piece as it was 20 years ago.

As the lights shut off for good, “The Brothers Size” leaves audiences with a newfound sense of introspection.