Topdog/Underdog

The Citizens' Circle theatre space gives a very good hint at what Topdog/Underdog is going to be about well before the actors appear.

The set is of a dingy flat, sparse in furnishing and with holes in the ceiling. There’s a heavily stained armchair, and piles of pornography peeking out from under a single bed. The sense of desperation and economic hardship is explicit.

Suzan-Lori Park’s script is a modern little gem. It sees two brothers, abandoned by their parents and chewed up by society, struggling to survive. Older brother Lincoln used to be a con man but has since given up crime to be a living target at an arcade; younger brother Booth sees himself as a ‘player’ and wants to become an ace at 3 Card Monte.

The brothers have a great rapport with each other, with clever dialogue conveying a knowing acceptance of each others’ flaws. However, the set, the character names and the events that occur in the first few minutes make the ending all but inevitable. These characters have big dreams but their fate is all but sealed.

Actors Tyronne Lewis and Nicholas Pinnock must then be even more commended for making the end not only work but come as a sharp surprise. The older and wiser Lincoln just wants to live his life, and Pinnock plays him as a sympathetic man whose unfortunate shackles are keeping a genuinely good man down. Lewis's Booth is a charming schemer who has the bad habit of jumping first and looking second. Together, both not only make for convincing siblings but portray a damaged relationship that is completely engrossing.

Leann O’Kasi’s direction is confident and makes great use of the Circle, and Neil Haynes excellent design, together with Simon Wilkinson’s effective lighting, make the production all the more real. Kudos should also be given to Kevin Wratten, who not only coached the two actors in the crucial game of 3 Card Monte but also has fun showing off his tricks during the interval.

It’s at times difficult to watch, but Topdog/Underdog is an excellent production of a slick script and contains two solid and effective performances.