Jackie (Gabriel Marin) and Veronica (Isabelle Ortega)
The current production at the SF Playhouse, The Motherf**cker with the Hat, is their fourth show by Stephen Adly Guirgis (Our Lady of 121st Street, Jesus Hopped the “A” Train, and A Den of Thieves) which makes him their most produced playwright.
This West Coast Premiere is about Jackie (Gabriel Marin), a former drug dealer who has just been released from prison to join the American workforce. His girlfriend, Veronica (Isabelle Ortega), however still uses cocaine and other drugs. One night, Jackie finds a hat in Veronica’s apartment. Realizing it is not his, he accuses her of cheating and then goes to his drug and parole counselor, Ralph (Carl Lumbly) for help. Meanwhile, Ralph’s wife, Victoria (Margo Hall) has really had it with Ralph.
Next, Jackie obtains a gun. Ralph insists that he not keep it so Jackie gives it to his cousin, Julio (Rudy Guerrero) for safe keeping. Jackie reveals that he slept with his previous AA counselor which may be part of the reason Veronica mistrusts him. Later, Veronica is entertaining a lover which is revealed to be Ralph. They had slept together a handful of times when Jackie was in prison.
Meawhile, Jackie gets the gun back and returns the hat and then throws it on the floor and shoots it. He talks about this with Victoria who is tired of Ralph’s cheating and begs Jackie to sleep with her. She reveals to him that Veronica and Ralph slept together.
Jackie shows up at Veronica’s apartment drunk, accusing her of cheating, hurt because they had been in love since 8th grade. When he gets loud, she hits him with a bat. Julio takes Jackie in and reveals that he’s grateful because years ago, Jackie did an unexpected kindness for him. Jackie wants to confront Ralph and Julio is willing to stand behind him. Jackie goes to Ralph’s apartment and the two men try to fight it out, but end up futilely wrestling on the floor. Ralph admits he slept with Veronica, but he’s through with that and would like to be friends with Jackie. Jackie refuses to accept his friendship and returns to the apartment to pick up his things. He has broke parole by shooting the gun and is heading off to prison for a short time. He tries to tell Veronica he loves her, but she runs out of the room unwilling to listen. He leaves for a few moments. Later Veronica comes out of hiding and calls his name.
Playhouse Artistic Director Bill English gives the play energetic and powerful staging. He gets some superb performances from his talented cast. English is also a genius at set design with his expansive and multi-level set showing two apartments side-by-side and a patio looming high above with potted plants. Costume Designer Abra Berman designed the character-specific costumes and Lighting Designer Jordan Puckett provides the properly stark lighting.
Hat is about growing up and accepting responsibility. Stephen Adly Guirgis tells the story of five characters struggling with addiction, friendship, love and the challenges of adulthood. According to Bill English, the five characters, “may be locked in the vicious cycles of self sabotage but they express their yearning and their hopefulness with a fire that reminds us of our own yearnings and makes us feel along with them, profoundly alive!”
The MF with the Hat runs through March 16, 2013 at the San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street, San Francisco. Performances are at 7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. For tickets, call 415-677-9596 or go online at www.sfplayhouse.org.
There are a few productions coming up next at SF Playhouse including the San Francisco Sandbox Series’ World Premiere of Inevitable by Jordan Puckett and directed by Lauren English opening March 2, 2013 at 8 p.m. Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil LaBute and directed by Susi Damilano opens Saturday, March 30, 2013.
Flora Lynn Isaacson
