Written by orange• April 13, 2024• 11:15 pm• Review, Santa Ana, The Wayward Artist, Theater, Uncategorized

The Mother F*cker with the Hat @ Wayward Artist – Review

(photo credit: Francis Gacad)

Written by Patrick Chavis

The Mother F*cker with the Hat is now playing at the Wayward Artist from April 12 to 21, 2024.

Directed by Michael Martinez Hamilton, playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis’s dark comedic tale moves fast and furious on the Wayward Artist stage but rarely misses a comedic beat or heartbreaking dramatic moment. It, excuse my language, was F*cking Excellent!

Story:

The Mother F*cker with the Hat is a dark comedy about Jackie (D.X. Machina), a former drug dealer recently released from prison. When Jackie goes to visit his addict girlfriend, Veronica (Psalms Salazar), he discovers a hat in her bedroom, and it’s not his. Will Jackie ignore the hat and live happily ever after with Veronica, or will he go on a rampage of anger and revenge? With a title like The Mother F*cker with the Hat, I’ll let you guess which one.

This play has so many quotable lines. I don’t have enough fingers on my hand to count them all. Guirgis has such a talent for dialogue. In some ways, his dialogue reminds me of something you might hear in a Quentin Tarantino film, particularly some of Tarantino’s earlier works. These characters have a lot to say. Some of them are not afraid to back those words up with violence. But it’s not all bravado and testosterone. These are damaged people, and the playwright expresses a very poignant tale about morality, love, and damaging cycles that keep us broken.

Direction:

The direction of this cast was almost pitch-perfect. I think you could chalk up most of the issues here to opening night jitters. The majority of this production’s acting was exceptional. It was hard not to laugh and get caught up in this drama, especially at the Wayward, a very intimate space. The action is only a few feet away.

Acting:

D.X. Machina’s patient but fiery acting was reminiscent of Jon Leguizamo. There is so much going on with Machina’s performance. When you see actors like Machina. If you forgot, you remember there are levels to this, and Machina is in another league. You can’t capture that on film.

Oscar Emmanuel Fabela (Cousin Julio) delivers a monologue that could bring tears and joy in the same scene. A scene that shows the importance of family not when it’s easy but when it’s hard. It is incredibly touching.

In a word, Psalms Salazar (Veronica) is phenomenal. She leaves you wanting more. Sassy, tough, and always a little broken inside. Incredible dedication the entire time Salazar is on stage.