Chris Rock can walk onto any stage in America and capture an audience with his wit and humor in a matter of seconds as a stand up comedian. But working with an ensemble cast to masterfully portray a story on a Broadway stage is a new challenge for the man who some people call the funniest person on earth. For his debut on Broadway, Rock chose a play with an unforgettable — and unprintable title — The M———– with the Hat.
Rolling out had a chance to preview the performance two days after opening night. Notable people in attendance were Rock’s mother, Rose, and rapper Ja Rule.
Rock stars as Ralph, who serves as a sponsor for an alcoholic named Jackie (Bobby Cannavale) in Hat.
The play begins with Jackie and his girlfriend Veronica (Elizabeth Rodriguez) in their small apartment moments before making love. But when Jackie discovers another man’s hat on his coffee table, he flips and the dysfunction of each character’s relationship is slowly revealed.
Ralph and his wife Victoria (Annabella Sciorra) are dealing with their own chaotic issues even though Ralph has a few years of sobriety under his belt and is embracing a healthier lifestyle.
In the play’s most pivotal moment, Ralph and Jackie wrestle with each other’s flaws while making strong cases about their questionable life choices.
In essence, the story shows how love and addiction can manifest itself in various forms.
Rock did an adequate job as a newcomer to the stage. In some of the earlier moments of the play, Rock is overshadowed by the actors who all have previous stage experience. But he gets stronger with each line and eventually mixes well with his cast members.
But Rock will always be the most dynamic when he’s on stage alone with one mic to give his fans two hours of unfiltered commentary and nonstop hysteria. –amir shaw
