[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT; Interplay Jewish Theatre

[Roy Berko]

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 MOTHERFUCKER or is it MOTHERF**KER, captivates at Dobama



Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)



The Sapir –Whorf Hypothesis states that language is created because there
is a way and need to express ideas, that the language used represents the
culture and therefore expresses ideas in a way that reflects attitudes,
often without a filter or censorship.  It goes on to state that we are our
language.



Stephen Adly Guirgis, in his script, MOTHERFUCKER WITH A HAT, illustrates
this hypothesis well.  This is true not only in his choice of a title, but
the way in which his characters speak, listen, and react to words.



Publicists for Guirgis’s play, which has been dubbed a “high octane verbal
cage match about love, fidelity and misplaced haberdashery,” had troubles
when the show opened in 2011 in New York.  Some newspapers refused to print
the “real” title or even take advertising, so the producers had to change
the play’s name to THE MOTHERF**KER WITH A HAT.   It’s going to be
interesting to see how the more conservative local papers handle the
writings about the show which is now on stage at Dobama.



As for the characters, four out of the five use language that might be
called offensive, in polite society.  Why did Guiris use almost every four
letter word in the English language?  He was reflecting the way that the
people he was depicting really would talk.  These are individuals who were
brought up in environments where this language is common, the language of
the streets, the words that get to the base level of expression.  It’s not
comfortable language for traditional theatre-goers, but it is the real
language of some real people.



The story centers on Jackie, a former drug dealer, who has just been
released from prison.  He not only has to conform to his rules of release,
which includes participating in a twelve-step program, but has to adapt to
dealing with societal rules.  This is not made easier by having a
girlfriend like Veronica, who is a cocaine and pot user and has been having
an affair while Jackie was incarcerated.  His problems are amplified by
having an addiction sponsor, Ralph D, who speaks in clichés, is living a
life which lacks reality, is in conflict with his wife, and turns out to be
Veronica’s lover.   Jackie, in a rage over finding a hat in the apartment
that he shares with Veronica, assumes that her lover is the downstairs
neighbor.  Jackie gets a gun, proceeds to give the hat back to its supposed
owner, and shoots a hole in the chapeau.  Thus, the play gets it’s name and
spins out of control.



A 2011 production, which starred Chris Rock, the king of smut-mouth stand
up comedy, opened to mixed reviews in the Big Apple.  The show received a
median grade of B- according to *StageGrade* (http://www.stagegrade.com)
which, like the local area’s clevelandtheatrereviews.com, reports summary
reviews of New York productions.  In spite of the less than stellar
comments, it ran to over 90% capacity during its run, mainly due to Rock’s
drawing power and the shock value of the title.



MOTHERF**KER is not an easy play to sit through.  The characters have few
redeeming qualities, the language is rough, and the conclusion somewhat
unsatisfying.  Yet, in spite of this, the characters are so clearly etched,
the violent grip of addiction clearly spotlighted, the living life with
false hopes exposed, the problems created by helplessness highlighted, the
meaning of moral relativism exposed, and the concept that some people
refuse to be loved amplified, a play which could be off-setting, turns out
to be fascinating.



Dobama’s production, under the adept direction of Dianne Boduszek, is spot
on.  The author’s intent and purpose are well developed.  The production
does not run from the needed gruffness of the language, but embraces it so
that even the most sensitive ear can simply accept the expression as the
authentic voice of these people.



There is not a weakness in the professional cast.  Jeremy Kendall, who
embraces the role, is enthralling as the addicted, explosively emotional
Jackie.



Charles Kartali is properly smug and phony as Ralph D., the sponsor from
hell.  Anjanette Hall clearly creates a Veronica who reacts and responds
from a background filled with angst.  Bernadette Clemens effectively makes
Ralph D’s wife into a woman caught in a charade of life, who needs to
escape.  Jimmie Woody creates in Cousin Julio, Jackie’s relative, a fey
character who seems to be the only person who has some semblance of clarity.



*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT, *the play that dare not
speak its name, has a lot to say.  In spite of the almost immediate
negative reaction of some people to the title, the production makes for a
very compelling evening of theatre.  Congrats to Dobama for not steering
away from the script because of the title and the realistic language.

* *

MOTHERF**KER runs through October 7 at Dobama.  Call 216-932-3396 or
www.dobama.org for tickets.



*INTERPLAY JEWISH THEATRE *



Interplay Jewish Theatre, with the purpose of reestablishing a Jewish
theatre presence in the Cleveland area, will present its next production, Leah
Napolin's THE DOGS OF PRIPYAT on Sunday, November 4, at 2 p.m. at Lakeland
Community College.



The story centers on the real situation in which residents of the
areas nearChernobyl, Russia, in the wake of the 1986 nuclear meltdown,
were ordered
to evacuate, and told to leave their pets behind.  In her adult fable,
Napolin, who is best known for her Broadway hit YENTL, tries to envision
how her own dog might have fared in a post-human world.



Tickets are free. For reservations, information and offers of support,
contact interplayjewishtheatre at gmail.com.

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