Abdul-Mateen II does well, bringing a necessary youth and impulsivity to a younger Booth. It’s the shared language they use, the handshakes, the glances, all a peek into a relationship that is so understood but never explained.īoth brothers have a palpable chemistry between them, making their inevitable fall even more devastating. It’s Booth and Lincoln playfully modeling their stolen suits for one another, with ad-libs from Abdul-Mateen II spotlighting the brothers’ transformation. It’s Lincoln and Booth squabbling over who will bring the Chinese takeout to their makeshift table (made of milk crates and cardboard). Under Leon, interactions between Lincoln and Booth remain quick, intimate and above all, brotherly. It’s a balanced embracement of the siblings’ love and mischievousness alongside their ordained dysfunction. The work is ugly, at times, cracked right open, but familiar and loving. It’s a testament to Parks’ enduring mastery of craft, creativity and empathy.īut to witness her words under Kenny Leon’s direction is to see something truly kinetic and alive, completely stripped of niceties or pandering. Dealing in equal parts humor alongside shame, guilt and despair, Topdog/Underdog covers the world without running itself ragged. She masterfully navigates all that her work wants to hold. Parks’ writing is already something to behold. Through it all, the brothers’ kinship runs deep. Even their names hold a destined quality (their father’s idea of a joke, says elder Lincoln). The two brothers share a bevy of trauma: parents that abandoned each one with only $500, trying to rise above their impoverished circumstances. But Topdog/Underdog is a fated tale laced with woe. The premise is surreal, with plenty of comedic stretch. While he tries to rope Lincoln into his enterprise, Lincoln is adamant about only doing honest work: performing as an Abraham Lincoln impersonator at a local arcade, where mostly white attendees shoot at him.

Booth spends his days lifting goods from stores and practicing the art of the card game hustle.

Topdog underdog yahya