Despite an Intriguing Premise, the Off-Broadway Play ‘Duke & Roya’ Offers Little Beyond the Obvious

Despite an Intriguing Premise, the Off-Broadway Play ‘Duke & Roya’ Offers Little Beyond the Obvious

While this production benefits greatly from the presence of actress Noma Dumezweni, it makes its points through often plodding dialogue that does a disservice both to its director, Warren Adams, and his game, accomplished cast.

DUKE & ROYA Opens at the Lucille Lortel Theatre

Check out photos from last night's opening night performance of Duke & Roya. In attendance were producers John Legend and Mike Jackson of Get Lifted Film Co., Naturi-Naughton Lewis and Two Lewis, and special guests Adrienne Warren, André Holland, Quincy Williams, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Angela Yee, Bevy Smith and more. Duke & Roya stars Jay Ellis (Top Gun: Maverick, “Insecure”), Stephanie Nur (“Lioness,” “1883”), Olivier Award winner and Tony® Aw…

The Reviews Are In for Duke & Roya Off-Broadway

Jay Ellis, Stephanie Nur, Noma Dumezweni, and Dariush Kashani lead the new play from Charles Randolph-Wright.

Duke & Roya Review. Repercussions from American Involvement in a Foreign War

“Do you realize that the U.S. has only spent under 20 years when we are NOT involvednin war?” the rap star Duke (Jay Ellis) tells an unseen interviewer. “When will that end?” Duke is being asked about his time in Kabul a decade earlier, which he doesn’t want to talk about. He had gone over to entertain the American troops at the Bagram Air Force Base, and met Roya (Stephanie Nur), an Afghan interpreter. He was immediately attracted to her, with …