Bakersfield College’s play “Topdog/Underdog,” put on by the school’s Performing Arts students, tells the story of two African-American brothers, Lincoln and Booth, played by Stefan Lambert and Dashawn Anton Robert Clark.
When their parents left them as children, they had to struggle to make a living.
At the start of the play, Booth is practicing “throwing cards,” a skill that his older brother perfected but previously gave up.
Lincoln works at an arcade and his brother encourages him to throw cards again.
Throughout the story, the brothers’ status over each other varies. One minute one is the “topdog,” and the next minute the other is. So, the play is aptly named.
Both Lambert and Clark did an excellent job portraying the two brothers. Lambert played a cool, calm, and slightly melancholic Lincoln, which fit well as the character is getting over a divorce and in a bad job that he is about to lose. He’s the older, wiser brother and Lambert performed the part well.
Booth is edgier and the more troubled of the two brothers, and thanks to Clark that was evident right away.
From the beginning, when Booth is practicing throwing cards and imagining a crowd, audience members could tell that he might end up being a little unstable.
Booth is going to break, and it’s just a matter of when, and knowing that from the start of the play made it more interesting.
Overall the play was great, but it was a bit long, especially considering the play only has two characters, something I wouldn’t have guessed by looking at the program I was given when I entered the theater.
Under “Supporting Players” are seven other names, all of whom were definitely not on stage during the play. Maybe they were crewmembers or maybe I saw the play on an off night, but I have no idea what their relationships to the play are.
A “talk back” followed the performance, where the two actors answered any of the audience members’ questions. This was a great opportunity to gain further insight into the play and all of the work that the cast put into the performance and production.