Meanwhile, Ralph is having his own challenges with his ‘in-recovery’, ball-busting wife Victoria (Melanee Murray) who sees Ralph for the dog he really is. (Beau Dixon) tries to keep Jackie from blowing up, but ultimately proves himself to be a very poor advisor indeed. Jackie’s sponsor, the mellow-talking, stay positive Ralph D. Veronica, a coke-addicted hell-cat of a gal, stands her ground with Jackie, denying any wrongdoing while dosing out her own brand of spitfire anger. Jackie, newly sober, hot-headed but whiny more than dangerous despite his stint in jail, accuses Veronica of infidelity when a mysterious man’s hat appears in their apartment.

Set in modern-day New York, the play is a funny fast-paced foul-mouthed story about feuding Puerto Rican-American childhood sweethearts Jackie (Haysam Kadri) and Veronica (Carmen Aguirre). It’s a good message and an interesting jumping off point that is unfortunately quashed by thin narrative and silo acting in this slight but amusing play. conveys to the newly sober yet still troubled Jackie near the end of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ The Motherfucker With the Hat. This is the message the less than angelic AA sponsor Ralph D. Just because a man is sober, has worked the AA system and finally kicks whatever substance had their claws in him, doesn’t mean he’s a good person.

Listen to my review on CBC Eyeopener on Monday Oct.

and Haysam Kadri (r) as Jackie. Photo credit, Brian Harder.

Be brave motherfuckers