“The Mother(expletive) With the Hat”
The most provocatively titled play of the Broadway season is also its funniest. At least to start.
Stephen Adly Guirgis’ blistering opening scene shows randy, blue-collar ex-con Jackie (Bobby Cannavale of “Will & Grace”) warming up his tough-talking chica for a midday romp to celebrate his new job with FedEx. But in short order, hard-luck Bobby will lose his job, his girl, his sobriety, his apartment and his best friend.
Named for a misplaced piece of haberdashery that turns lust into violent jealousy at the flip of a, well, hat, this savage treatise on fidelity and our basic human instinct to mess everything up that’s good would be demoralizing to watch were it not also so laugh-out-loud funny. But eventually it loses its novelty and verbal sizzle before settling into a fairly ordinary tale of betrayal.
This blue and blue-collar comedy no doubt secured a high-profile Broadway stage on the presence and marketing power of Chris Rock (through July 17). He gives a worthy effort playing best friend Ralph D., whose world view precludes him from making apologies for any of his own bad behavior. But Rock is no trained actor. He delivers every line with the same pitch and volume of a stand-up comic shouting at a mic. The brilliant Cannavale, on the other hand, makes for a volatile shlub who’s part Tony Soprano, part Charlie Brown.
Tony nominations: 5
Quotable: “I think cooler heads could prevail on both our parts . . . at the pie place.”
You’ll also recognize: Anabella Sciorra (“Jungle Fever”).
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
