Even Great Performances Can’t Rescue “Between Riverside and Crazy”

“Between Riverside and Crazy” | Photo by Joan Marcus

The opinions reflected in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.

(REVIEW) “Everybody in New York hates cops. Even cops hate cops,” says Pops, a retired police officer and the protagonist of “Between Riverside and Crazy,” a 2014 play by Stephen Lady Guirgis making its Broadway debut this season at Second Stage’s Helen Hayes Theatre. The play is about the complex relationship between the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the African-American community in New York City. While the story has a lot of potential, it can’t seem to get many plot lines off the launch pad. Most of the characters merely live their lives without experiencing any growth through the play’s events, and the play spends far too much time introducing minor characters and reaching the story’s conflict.

Stephen McKinley Henderson plays Pops, a widower and ex-cop, who was shot six times in the back while off duty by a fellow officer. He is a black man who claims the crime was racially motivated and sued the department, refusing for years to accept a settlement the department needs to save its reputation. The play takes place entirely within his rent-controlled apartment on Riverside Drive, portraying Pop’s interactions with his recently paroled son, Junior, and  NYPD Lieutenant Caro, eager to help settle his case.

Henderson gives a fantastic performance as Pops alongside rapper Common’s portrayal of Junior. These two actors bring great depth to their characters but they aren't given any meaningful character growth to work with. Gary Perez’s role as Lieutenant Caro strikingly contrasts with Pops’ integrity but also shines a light on his faults. Several other minor characters join them but do not have enough stage time for the audience to understand their role in the larger narrative: Junior’s forgetful girlfriend, Pop's foster son who struggles to stay sober and Detective O’Connor, Pop’s old partner and Caro’s fiancee.

The technical elements of the play are very impressive. A rotating set that contains the interconnected rooms of Pops’ apartment allows for sweeping cinematic transitions between spaces in the home. The light music and simplicity in the rest of the production minimize distractions to direct the audience’s focus to the characters.

“Between Riverside and Crazy” is a great technical production and features wonderful actors. Regardless, neither of those things saves it from wandering around in different stories for two hours instead of presenting one complete story. Plot lines are too disjointed to keep the audience from confusion, and ultimately they are robbed of the climactic scene that is relegated to taking place off-stage. Fans of Henderson or Common will still greatly enjoy their acting, but this isn’t one of the better plays on Broadway this season.

“Between Riverside and Crazy” is currently running at the Helen Hayes Theatre through February 12, 2023.

Eli Johnson is the Theatre Columnist for the Empire State Tribune. He is a sophomore at The King's College majoring in Business. He is an avid theatre-goer and always enjoys a game of chess.