Topdog/Underdog Reviews
Los Angeles Times- Somewhat Recommended
"...But the production doesn't live up to its three-dimensional canvas. Brandon Gill as Booth and Brandon Micheal Hall as Lincoln are talents of striking sensitivity. They bring a new generational sensibility to their characters, embodying a millennial version of Booth and Lincoln, a milder tack than the Gen X example of Jeffrey Wright and Mos Def, who starred in the Broadway premiere. (Wright played opposite Don Cheadle's Booth in the play's off-Broadway launch at the Public Theater.)"
LA Splash- Highly Recommended
"...Gregg T. Daniel does an excellent job of helming this complex dramedy ' a tale with equal measures of laughter and tears. Kudos to Brandon Gill and Brandon Micheal Hall for their superb and heart-rending performances as two African America men the world has discarded ' and probably forgotten entirely. Tesshi Nakagawa's scenic design is awe-inspiring, with Angela Balogh Calin's costumes keeping pace. Jared A. Sayeg's lighting and Jeff Gardner's sound hit just the right note. Let's not forget card consultant Whit 'Pop' Haydn, who helps make the brothers' 3 Card Monte look very real. TOPDOG/UNDERDOG is a must-see production ' thought-provoking, searing, and powerful."
Stage Raw- Highly Recommended
"...Top Dog brilliantly succeeds in its exploration of young Black men doomed by the systemic inequities of our culture. Yet it also succeeds on a deeply humanistic level as an examination of the pathological permutations of family bonds, from the parents who walked away to the brother/survivors who are so essential to one another ' and also so expendable. Unable to compete in the outside world, the brothers fight for supremacy in their own shabby microcosm ' a predestined contest in which the winner loses all."
Nerds Of Color- Somewhat Recommended
"...Brandon Michael Hall and Brandon Gill are wonderful actors (as Lincoln and Booth respectively) who are committed to the rhythm and flow of Parks' potent language. But there were many emotional moments that could've been excavated deeper as it felt like the desperation and anger was just skimming the surface for most of the play. By the time we get to the finale, the emotions started to finally peak through but felt like that drive needed to be present at the BEGNNING of the play."