Chris Rock Is On Motherf**king Broadway: My Review

By Michael Musto Mon., Apr. 11 2011 at 9:30 PM

Stephen Adly Guirgis's The Motherf**er With The Hat is about a quintet of urban characters battling addiction--mainly to each other.

This results in heaps of squabbling, as the confrontation-filled play serves up monologues of fiery invective, filled with vivid dialogue and sh*tloads of raunch.

From the woman telling her suspicious man "Leggo my Eggo" to Chris Rock's nontraditional sponsor character admitting he has "no fuckin' halo," the potty mouthed characters make the audience roar with recognition as they rip into each other's bad behavior while justifying their own.

It's too bad there are some talky stretches that grow a bit tiresome, with too much telling off and dressing down.

Still, when it clicks--like in the big showdown between Rock and a teed-off Bobby Cannavale--you tip your motherf**ing hat to the raucous revelry.

That scene brings Rock's character to life and he does well with it, as if transmuting his standup persona to the legit stage.

Cannavale is the anchor (though he seems to recede as Rock takes over), Elizabeth Rodriguez is strong in what can be called the Rosie Perez role, Annabella Sciorra is good and pissed, and Yul Vasquez is wonderfully quirky as the cousin, though he pushes too hard for laughs in the "Van Dam" scene.

Next week: Ben Stiller.

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25 years clean

This play is an insult to twelve step programs and all the good that sponsorship does for people willing to ask for help. I found nothing funny about it except the language, and in fact it is very sad.

Rapture

"Dumb down the culture"??? The NY Times gave this play a rave today as a work of art!

Dingle

Huh? You're a moron. Chris Rock has spoken out against homophobia. What the fuck are you talking about?Are you assuming that because he's black he's a homophobe? Then you're a racist. The play even has a gay character.

kalalaumango

what makes me laugh about this review, since i won't be seeing the show -- is seeing other articles of yours from the week -- is a reminder of how some gay people will complain about equality and homophobia while catering to people, organizations, networks, groups who actually are/have blatantly worked against your equality or civil rights apart from incredibly dumbing down your population. thus, making your writing a conundrum of journalistic obsolescence. thank you.

Musto

I liked her, liked Elizabeth Rodriguez (in what can be termed the Rosie Perez role), and thought Cannavale was super (though he receded more as Rock took over). Yul Vasquez as the cousin was good but pushed for laughs a little too much.

Gigi

I saw the show a few weeks ago and thought Rock was TERRIBLE. Loved the play though (esp Vasquez - that Van Damme shit almost made me cry). Wonder if Chris had some sort of acting breakthrough since I was there?

(Oh, btw - I was the person who said hi to you while you were salmoning on 47th St. on Sat. Bad cyclist! And no helmet?!)