Suzan-Lori Parks‘ Topdog/Underdog is a riveting play that is as powerful and vibrant now as it was when it premiered off-Broadway back in 2001. It is a play much deserved in its accolades with the work winning the 2002 Pulitzer Prize and the New York Times calling it “The Greatest American Play of the Past 25 Years.”

Now, the play comes to the Pasadena Playhouse with Gregg T. Daniel directing but after watching the opening night yesterday, I can only say that the rich language may need to marinate with the actors a bit more (even though they were extremely committed) amongst staging and casting issues that can’t be changed.

Two brothers struggle to form a meaningful bond, navigating a legacy of abandonment and betrayal, while in pursuit of the American Dream. In their desperate fight for upward mobility and agency over their own lives, they turn to the hustle of three card monte, attempting to close the gap between the haves and the have nots—the top dogs, and the underdogs.

The grand proscenium space at the Pasadena Playhouse is a beautiful sight to behold as you get a sense of majestic history and culture in its architecture and design. But Topdog/Underdog is the kind of play that works best in tighter, grittier spaces, not only for the actors but for the audience to feel how cramped and suffocating it is for these two brothers attempting to live together. Though the broken and rusty set design by Tesshi Nakagawa and haunting lighting design by Jared A. Sayeg were spectacular, I couldn’t help but feel how it would have been more effective in a 99 seat theatre space as it would bring the audience that much closer to the action.

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.

Gill was well cast as Booth but there is a slight miscast with Hall as Lincoln as there needs to be a greater contrast between the two brothers so that by the time we get to the end and the tables start to turn, the flip is much more devastating in terms of the power dynamics between the two brothers. The animosity and tension was mostly absent as well so together with how very different the two brothers act, it doesn’t quite justify the line when Lincoln asks Booth, “You think we’re really brothers?”

I do wonder how the performances will evolve by the end of its run because as it stands right now, I was entertained but left wanting a lot more. This is a play that is a Greek tragedy at its core, starting with the brothers’ names and continuing with the uncertain tension of how these two will co-exist with each other. The lack of this energy was felt most evident by the nearby audience members around me as I could see many of them nodding off and losing attention. With all that being said, I do appreciate Pasadena Playhouse for bringing this incredible play to the greater Los Angeles area in terms of their vast outreach with their audience pool.

Topdog/Underdog runs at the Pasadena Playhouse till March 23. You can buy tickets here. There are post-show talkbacks on Thursday, March 6 and Thursday, March 13 following the 7:00 PM performances.