REVIEW: Lynn Nottage’s ‘Sweat’ is a timely critique of division


(From left to right) Will Hochman and Grantham Coleman captivate as Jason and Chris, the production’s two leads. (Photo from Instagram)

“Sweat” is a simple story -— that describes how people are different, yet provides a vision of unity. The play, which was performed at Mark Taper Forum, welcomed people of all backgrounds on Saturday.

“Sweat” follows a few friends who work in a small factory in Reading, Pa., one of the poorest towns in the country. The play jumps between 2000 and 2008, two different eras for the group.

The production begins in 2008 and as the play unfolds, the audience learns about  the events that tore these friends apart eight years prior.

As friends are promoted, tensions come to a high as the livelihood and jobs of everyone else are on the line. In the midst of it all, the play infuses political commentary on former U.S. President George W. Bush’s administration and its policies on immigrant workers and lower-middle class factory workers.

“Sweat” is ultimately about the struggle between outsiders and insiders. It’s a story of people who built the nation from the ground up in pursuit of the American Dream.

While writer Lynn Nottage’s words create colorful, flawed characters who are often too stubborn, the cast brought them to life. Lisa Peterson’s direction provides much-needed humor to highlight the story’s turns. The impeccable set design creates an atmosphere for the storyline.

The main characters’ performances make the story human and characters likeable. Michael O’Keefe gives a terrific performance as Stan, the diplomatic bartender trying to keep his friends together, and Portia demands power on stage as Cynthia, a headstrong woman who must make the difficult choice between her work and  friends.

The chemistry between the two leads, Will Hochman as Jason and Grantham Coleman as Chris, is kinetic, riveting and emotional.

While some interpretive elements do not hit as hard as they could have and a couple performances are one-dimensional, the production is a powerful story that needs to be told in the current divisive political climate.

While the play is set during the Bush administration, its themes are more relevant than ever under the Trump administration.

As the friend group fragments because of hate, the story is representative of the divisive nature of contemporary American politics and culture. The play leaves the audience grasping the consequences of the characters’ and our society’s hate. But there is a glimmer of hope at the end. A hope of a reunion, even a fractured one. All our society can do is pick up the pieces and heal from the damage done.