The Motherf**ker with the Hat
WHAT: The Motherf**ker with the Hat (Theater)
WHEN: December 28, 2012 – March 3, 2013
WHERE: Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf (1650 N. Halsted Ave.)
RUN TIME: 1 hr and 40 minutes, no intermission
HOST: Steppenwolf Theatre Company
OUR RATING: Do It!
“The Motherf**ker with the Hat” (steppenwolf.org, Photo: Sandro)
With a head-turning title that will leave some desperate to see Stephen Adly Guirgis’ newest Chicago production–and make more conservative types turn their noses up–The Motherf**ker with the Hat exudes the fury imbedded in its title and confronts us with the morally tangible nature of love, lust and loneliness. With an utterly stark and beautifully intricate set, all-star talent and layers of profanity, the fast-paced and darkly comical Motherf**ker is not a play to be missed.
John Ortiz as Jackie — Photo: Michael Brosilow
The Motherf**ker with the Hat originally premiered on Broadway back in 2011, starring Chris Rock and directed by Steppenwolf ensemble member and Tony Award-winner Anna D. Shapiro. While the cast is entirely different in this Chicago production, Shapiro again directs and is accompanied by some of the same designers from the Broadway production, making this Chicago production a unique reincarnation. Even more unique (and refreshing) is that the cast features no Steppenwolf ensemble member, which separates this show from the usual ensemble-based works by STC.
(right to left) Cousin Julio (Gary Perez) and Jackie (John Ortiz) — Photo: Michael Brosilow
This is a story of many angles and perspectives, to say the least. Love triangle is not a sufficient expression to describe the deeply flawed and entwined relationships on show, between an ex-con turned janitor, his girlfriend, his sponsor from Alcoholics Anonymous, that man’s wife and the ex-con’s cousin. The complexity is accentuated by the underlying deceit that colours the entire work.
Sandra Delgado as Veronica — Photo: Michael Brosilow
The protagonist, Jackie (John Ortiz), has just been released from prison and is thrilled to be returning home to his high school sweetheart Veronica (Sandra Delgado)–who is anything but sweet. The chance discovery of the eponymous Motherf**ker’s hat leads to an unfolding of the truth that leaves practically no character untainted by the stain of infidelity and addiction.
(right to left) Jackie (John Ortiz) and Ralph D. (Jimmy Smits) — Photo: Michael Brosilow
Protected by his mentor Ralph (Jimmy Smits) from the AA, and taken into his home along with his unhappy wife Victoria (Sandra Marquez), Jackie bounces around from his mentor, to his cousin Julio (Gary Perez) and back to his girlfriend. We follow Jackie on this journey, and share in hilarity and intensity of his relationships, which make one both laugh and reflect on the more serious consequences of human emotion.
Todd Rosenthal’s scenic design for “The Motherf**ker with the Hat” — Photo: Michael Brosilow
This superb acting is framed amongst scenic designer Todd Rosenthal’s fantastical cogwheel set, which is perfectly utilized to showcase three distinct scenes, each with its own character. We are even treated to views of some characters living within their homes/sets during scene changes, which lends to the realism captured in both script and set.
A script that makes us consider the values of others in comparison to our own, no matter how unattractive those values may be, plunges the audience into a conundrum worth cogitating on, and a play definitely worth seeing.
P.S. Check out Steppenwolf’s interview with playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis.