The Motherfucker with the Hat (sometimes censored as The Motherf**ker with the Hat and The Mother with the Hat) is a 2011 play by Stephen Adly Guirgis. The show is described as "a high-octane verbal cage match about love, fidelity and misplaced haberdashery."
Synopsis
Jackie is a former drug dealer who has just been released from prison to join the American workforce. His girlfriend, Veronica, however, still uses cocaine and other drugs. The play begins with an intense and comic phone conversation between Veronica and her mother, who's also an addict. Jackie arrives shortly thereafter.
Just as Jackie and Veronica are jumping into bed, he sees a hat in her apartment. Realizing it is not his, he accuses her of cheating, going to his drug and parole counselor, Ralph D., for help. Meanwhile, Ralph's wife, Victoria, has "had it up to here with his helium".
Jackie obtains a gun. Ralph insists that he not keep it, so he gives it to his cousin Julio for safekeeping. Jackie reveals that he had slept with his previous AA counselor, which may be part of the reason Veronica mistrusts him. Later, Veronica is entertaining a lover, which is revealed to be Ralph. They had slept together a handful of times while Jackie was in prison.
Meanwhile, Jackie gets the gun back and returns the hat to a man in their building who he thinks is its owner. Jackie then throws it on the floor and shoots it. He talks about this with Victoria, who is tired of Ralph's cheating and begs Jackie to sleep with her. She reveals to him that Veronica and Ralph have slept together—Ralph was really "the motherfucker with the hat."
Jackie shows up at Veronica's apartment drunk, accusing her of cheating, hurt because they have been in love since high school. When he gets loud, she hits him with a bat.
Julio takes Jackie in. He reveals that he is grateful because, years ago, Jackie showed unexpected kindness to him. Jackie wants to confront Ralph and Julio is willing to cover his back, claiming to be a "Van Damme".
Jackie goes to Ralph's. The two men try to fight it out, but end up futilely wrestling on the floor. Ralph admits he slept with Veronica and explains that she will never love him until she chooses to sober up. In spite of everything, he would like to be friends with Jackie. Jackie refuses to accept his friendship and returns to the apartment to pick up his things. He has broken parole by shooting the gun and is heading off to prison for a short stint. He tries to tell Veronica he loves her, but she runs out of the room, unwilling to listen. He leaves. A few moments later, Veronica comes out of hiding and calls his name.
Productions
The Motherfucker with the Hat premiered at Broadway's Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on April 11, 2011, following previews from March 15. The cast starred Chris Rock in his Broadway debut as Ralph D., with Bobby Cannavale (Jackie), Annabella Sciorra (Victoria), Elizabeth Rodriguez (Veronica) and Yul Vázquez (Cousin Julio). It was directed by Anna D. Shapiro, with music by Terence Blanchard, set design by Todd Rosenthal, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, costumes by Mimi O’Donnell, and lighting by Donald Holder. The production closed on July 17, 2011.
The first regional production of the play was at Theaterworks in Hartford, Connecticut, premiering on October 14, 2011. The cast included Royce Johnson as Ralph D., Ben Cole as Jackie, Vanessa Wasche as Victoria, Clea Alsip as Veronica and Varin Ayala as Cousin Julio. It was directed by Tazewell Thompson. On November 30, 2011, author Stephen Adly Guirguis aired his complaints with the casting of this production, saying that director Thompson had cast white actors in two parts intended to be portrayed as Puerto Rican. Thompson also included a scene of full-frontal male nudity which was not in the original Broadway production, but was in the script.
In January 2013 The Motherfucker with the Hat was produced at San Francisco Playhouse in San Francisco where it was very well received.
There was also a production of the play which opened at the Allways Theatre in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was directed by Joshua Parham and starred Michael Santos, Kate Kuen, Armando Leduc, Martin Bradford and Michelle Martin. It was very well received.
On 21 January 2015, it was announced the play would receive its UK premiere at the Lyttelton Theatre, part of The National Theatre beginning 10 June.