A young, sharply-dressed Latino man silences the posh restaurant, announcing that he will perform his live poem: “Date Me or Deport Me, Just Do It Despacito.” His dramatic flourish and breathy, passionate voice steal the show—but his date still leaves in the end.
So begins playwright Guillermo Reyes’ new show, “Bad Hombres,” a brilliantly-written one-man performance that tackles racism, sexual identities, love across cultures, and the surprising effectiveness of holy texts as weapons.
Director Dwayne Hartford’s newest production, which unrolls as a string of comedic monologues starring Israel Jimenez, is every bit as funny as it is insightful.
As the scenes switch and new characters take the stage, Jimenez embodies each role with seemingly effortless skill. One moment he’s a deeply closeted, macho father who coaches his son during a fútbol game; the next, he’s a nasally Catholic schoolboy telling a stranger on the phone about his boyfriend banging on the front door.
Jimenez infuses each character with their own stage presence, like throwing his shoulders back to play an unhinged drag queen with stiletto heels and a fetish for deportation or stalking around a gay wedding store as a disgruntled single whose chip on his shoulder is almost as big as one of his kidney stones.
Jimenez’s enthusiasm radiates from the stage, especially as the one recurring character, whose scenes progress from “Dating for Beginners” to “Advanced Dating for Beginners.”
Although Jimenez is the only person on stage, the set feels full with the energy he brings, and although we only hear one side of his conversations, his funny reactions and exaggerated movements make them believable. Jimenez’s brilliant performance makes each character on stage feel three-dimensional, no matter how strange the script gets, elevating “Bad Hombres” from a funny and clever story to a rich theatrical experience.
The most impactful scene is “Jordy’s True Story,” in which a young man on the doorstep of a ritzy neighborhood explains how the hostile homeowner’s son beat him so badly he lost the ability to speak. It’s chilling, a reflection of how racism and homophobia can result in horrifying crimes, but Jordy’s humor and poise infuse charm and warmth into the heart-breaking story.
Sound designer Joseph Nicholls starts the play with a clever mix of different sound bites: first, joyful mariachi music; then, the thumping, angry bass from Donald Glover’s “This is America”; and later, a few notes from “Despacito,” a cheerful cross-cultural smash. Then, again, “This is America” plays, like a warning before the metaphorical curtain falls.
Provocative yet touching, “Bad Hombres” is Space 55 at its best: unique, entertaining and incredibly enjoyable.
Contact the reporter at sosulli2@asu.edu.
