The Motherfucker With the Hat

             Relationships are difficult things. They challenge us all through our lives. At the very top of Stephen Adly Guirgis new play we meet Veronica, who has a somewhat troubled relationship with her mother as we can tell from the phone conversation we are privy too. This shows us the type of home Veronica comes from, and gives insight into what the rest of the play will be like.

              The true troubled relationship at the center of the play is between Veronica and Jackie, a former drug user/dealer and Alcoholic who has only recently been released from prison and is trying to get back on his feat, when he finds a mans hat on his table, and his bed smells like Aqua-velva and dick.

                Who IS the Motherfucker with the hat? Is motherfucker one word or two? It would be cheating to tell you. All I can and will say is that  the play is very funny from beginning to end. I found the play to be emotionally satisfying as well as very well written.

                The set design is very good, and so is the costume and lighting design. I found the acting performances and the direction to be a tad misguided. There is a huge scream fest right at the beginning of the play, and it never backs down from there. Because the actors are beginning at such fever pitch they have no place to go but down.

              Bobby Cannavale is excellent as Jackie. He gives him the right amount of Machismo but also keeps him vulnerable, and therefore likable. We never stop rooting for Jackie to do the right thing. Elizabeth Rodriguez is excellent as Veronica, though I wish she had been directed not to scream so much. Yul Vasquez steals every scene he is in, and Annabelle Scciora is wonderful in her supporting role. In his Broadway debut Chris Rock is not at all a disappointment. He does not really offer much in the way of a deep, layered, meaningful performance, but he is able to deliver both the comedy and the more serious tones convincingly.

            Overall the play is very good, and has a serious chance of taking home the prize for best new play at this years Tony Awards. I think Yul Vasquez at the very least, as well as Bobby Cannavale have a tremendous chance of also winning in their respective categories as Best Featured Actor and Best Actor. If you are in New York and you have a chance, check it out.  There are not very many plays of this caliber on the boards these days.