“Topdog/Underdog” Is About Great Acting and Compelling Tragedy

Photo by Marc J Franklin.

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

“Topdog/Underdog,” written by Suzan Lori Parks, returned to Broadway Oct. 20 at the John Golden Theatre. This is the show’s first Broadway revival since it opened 20 years ago. This two-person revival features Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as brothers Lincoln and Booth, respectively (The characters’ names are a joke of their late father).

The plot of “Topdog/Underdog” takes place entirely in the apartment of Booth, a young man with a talent for shoplifting who idolizes the former life of his brother, Lincoln. Lincoln’s wife has left him, and since quitting the profitable three-card-monte scam that led to his friend’s death, he now works a humiliating day job and lives with his brother to survive. 

The setting for “Topdog/Underdog” is listed as “here/now,” and although the script is now 20 years old, the material is just as current in today’s culture. During the two-hour performance, we see each man’s progression in a short period of their lives as they consider their career choices, the influence of their upbringing and their experiences with marriage.

We never see the large assembly of characters our protagonists interact with throughout their lives outside the apartment. But, the performances of Hawkins and Abdul-Mateen make their world come alive and fill the audience in on every struggle and joy they experience.

“Topdog/Underdog” is a compelling story, a tragedy encased in brilliant acting from its two-man cast, but the interesting setup wears off, leaving you checking your watch frequently by intermission. The second act eventually recovers the emotional drama and recaptures the audience’s attention to deliver a memorable performance from both actors as they bring the script’s dramatic, shocking ending to life.

While the final scene is jarring and unexpected, that seems to be its intention. The moral of three-card-monte is painful and deadly for Booth and Lincoln but makes watching the show a worthwhile endeavor for an audience willing to engage with it.
Topdog/Underdog is currently running at the John Golden Theatre.

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