Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Topdog/Underdog, making her the first African-American woman ever to do so. Two decades later, the twentieth anniversary Broadway revival of the piece won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play just last year.
With those accolades under its belt, we’re excited to see Topdog/Underdog brought to the Melbourne stage. The play follows two brothers, Lincoln and Booth, as they struggle to survive in the wake of a tumultuous past. Lincoln (played by Damon Manns: Fences, Raisin in the Sun, Home and Away) makes a living impersonating Abraham Lincoln in whiteface.
On the other hand, Booth (played by Ras-Samuel: Because the Night, Happy End, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) scrapes along as a petty thief who wants to become a card game hustler. Together they face the realities of the so-called ‘American dream’, embarking on a journey that promises to be a darkly comic fable.
Bert LaBonté, who has acted in numerous MTC plays including The Truth, The Mountaintop, Kiss of the Spider Woman and many more makes his directorial debut with this production, which runs from August 23 until September 21 at Southbank Theatre. Expect a fast-paced narrative that weaves between comedy and tragedy, exploring themes of identity and making the most of the hand we’re dealt.
Tickets to Topdog/Underdog are available now at the Melbourne Theatre Company website.
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