BWW Reviews: Stephen Adly Guirgis' THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT at Stageworks

This past week has been quite a whirlwind for local theatregoers, with so many shows opening at the exact same time: the odd and intense Occupation at Jobsite, the delightful Mame at freeFall, the well-produced, but slight One Slight Hitch at American Stage, and Tampawrights at the Silver Meteor Gallery. Add to this list, perhaps even putting it near or at the head of the pack, is Stageworks' production of Stephen Adly Guigis' THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT (called TMFWTH from here on out). This is a show that stays with you, where a strong, incisive script is given the right treatment, and tech, staging and especially performances all come together to serve the story to its fullest potential.

The basic storyline deals with addiction, recovery, trust, betrayal and the struggle for redemption. At the start, Jackie, a recovering addict played by Jesse Carolan-Rodriguez, comes home to announce to his addict girlfriend, Veronica (Jessy Quinones), that he has a new job, and now with his sobriety, their life together will enter a new, better phase. He wants to celebrate with her in bed, but she wants to shower first. It is while she's in the offstage shower when Jackie finds the mysterious title hat in their apartment...and wants to know whose it is. What follows is an emotional tilt-a-whirl with various twists, so I will not dive deeper into the story. But the play poses an important question: What's more difficult to deal with, substance/alcohol addiction or addiction to love?

Guirgis' dialogue is machine gun rat-tat-tat fast, poetic and down and dirty at the same time, and TMFWTH is obviously created by one of the most cutting edge and observant playwrights around.

Rodriguez's performance as Jackie is impossible to shake. He's simply staggering. Anyone who attended American Stage's In the Heights in the park and saw Rodriguez as the hilarious Sonny knows how strong an actor he is. He was excellent there, and he's even better here. His commanding work as Jackie is nothing short of a tour de force. He covers every emotional angle imaginable--anger, love, betrayal, weakness and a kind of hidden strength. He breaks your heart. His scene where he stands on a bed and drunkenly sings to Veronica ranks up there with Paul Potenza in Annapurna and Eric Davis in The Tempest as the performance of the year so far.

Just as strong is Quinones' gutsy work as Veronica. Her tantrums are things of horrific beauty, and she is a mesmerizing presence onstage. She's like a firework that's just been lit, and yet you don't know when it's going to go off. But when it does explode, duck and cover.

As Ralph, Jackie's AA sponsor, the part made famous by Chris Rock on Broadway, Josh Goff is a standout. I enjoy how the actor makes this part his own and avoids any Rock-like cadence when saying his lines. Goff is exceptionally likable and real, and he gives the role depth. We don't doubt he means it when he says such things as, "No stinkin' thinkin'...Be wise like Abe Lincoln." He certainly seems grounded in his worldview, and yet his chilling devil-may-care morals and hypocrisy make us question why we even like him.

Dana Kovar as Ralph's wife, Victoria, doesn't pack the same punch as the other parts, mainly because the role is the least fleshed out of the five. Still, Kovar is quite good, and plot-wise she's essential to the story.

The scene-stealer of TMFWTH is Cornelio Aguilera as Jackie's cousin Julio, one of the most hilarious supporting roles I've seen all year. He does more with his pinkies than many actors can do with their whole bodies (you'll know what I'm talking about when you see the show). By the time we experience his last scene, he just has to say a single word and the audience laughs. It's a mega-quirky turn, the role of a bizarre wannabe badass who conjures up his inner Jean Claude Van Damme, and it works brilliantly.

Scott Cooper's set design is creative and suits the play handsomely, representing three different apartments, from the peeling wallpaper of one place, to the upper middle class art works on the wall of another, and then the kitchen of a third, complete with a John Lennon in New York City poster. The lighting by Jo Averill-Snell plays an important role, switching from the three different stage areas with ease.

It is no secret that there is a big fight scene in TMFWTH, and the one here is realistically choreographed by Noelle Monroe, where we get the feel that one of the characters is getting severely pummeled. Make no mistake, this is one show that doesn't hold back any punches, both literally and figuratively.

The production is deftly directed by Karla Hartley, who has tapped marvelous performances from her cast and has skillfully staged the whole show. The pace is wonderfully fluid, fast but not too fast; it holds for those key moments, where the audience can take its collective breath from the rollercoaster plot. Seamless as the direction is, you never doubt that there is a guiding hand to all of the excellence onstage. This is some of Hartley's best work.

Even with its eye-opening title, TMFWTH is not just for the adventurous theatregoer; it's for anyone who has loved, lost, struggled and fought for redemption at some point in his or her life. It's also for those of us who like our professional theatre smart and emotionally charged, with equal amounts of humor and edginess. You will laugh often, but the show will also leave you shaken, reeling, and in the end, hopeful.

THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT runs until July 26th. For tickets, please call (813) 374-2416.

To post a comment, you must register and login.