The Trade: A Tragedy in Four Quarters
Running Time: 1 hour, 15 min with a 15 min intermission
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Available
Sensory Friendly Showing: Not Available
ASL Showing: Not Available
Sound Level: Comfortable Volume, some moments may be loud for some patrons
Audio and Visuals to Prepare For: moments with audience interaction
Reviewed by Kyle Lester
Oh, betrayal. The ever-present antagonist not bound by language, culture, race, class, or age. Is there nothing your heartbreak can’t ruin? Perhaps the revered Saint Alanis Morissette said it best:
And I’m here to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away.
It’s not fair to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you…oughta know!
-You Oughta Know, Alanis Morissette
Normally that would be a somewhat overdramatic characterization of a routine sports management decision, but flashback to the cold Dallas February of 2025 and it will seem all too appropriate. Through gritted teeth and clenched fists, Dallas Mavericks fans demanded an explanation for why Nico Harrison, Dallas’ promising new general manager, elected to trade the team’s beloved Luca Doncic to the long-time “cool table” of the NBA — the Los Angeles Lakers (BOO!!! HISS!!!) In return for our personified hopes and dreams, the least forgiving fanbase in the NBA received a walking injury by the name of Anthony Davis, a once solid player who clearly had limped passed his prime. Ironic, considering that in the Greek Tragedy of the April 8 Mavericks/Lakers game, the formerly stalwart Dallas champions similarly limped to an embarrassing defeat at the hands of its scorned comrade, sending the Lakers to the cherished playoffs instead of the Mavericks.
This irony was not lost on playwrights Matt Lyle and Matt Coleman (hereafter referred to as “The Matts”, or Matt2.) On what I can only assume was the advice of a therapist, Matt2 channeled their indignation into a delightfully absurd satire that says everything a 2025 Mavs fan has been thinking. This original work comes cloaked as a Greek Tragedy, complete with a prologue, ample narration, a lively chorus, and of course, our tragic protagonist who’s own hubris and hamartia seals his fate. Oh, but don’t let the term “tragedy” fool you. Matt2’s acerbic script is uproariously funny as it dismantles the Mavericks’ general management. The playwrights are never lazy in their satire, either. They manage to effectively utilize punchlines, caricatures, crowd interaction, visual media, and even song parody to keep its audience rolling. It’s a fantastically immersive way to tell this story and it translates well to the theater-in-the-round format. I only wish I could expect that level of effort from the Mavericks.
Speaking of effort, the actors on stage had their work cut out for them, particularly the ever-present chorus. Casting performers who are comfortable with long monologues, dance breaks, musical numbers, improvised crowd work, and precise comedic timing is no small task. Thankfully, Director Lyle mined some incredible talent from DFW. With a small cast of just six performers, the actors comfortably showed a level of range, talent, and professionalism to carry a show well passed the fourth quarter. Beginning with a classic Greek Chorus premonition (did I mention there’s a little Shakespeare?), the entire ensemble picks up the ball and never drops it. I was particularly impressed with the crowd interaction, which always carries some necessary improv with it. I’m sure The Trade is an absolute madhouse of laughter with a full Saturday-night house, but they were just as impressive on a Thursday night. There really is no one “standout” performer here, and they play off of each other beautifully. I do have to give a special shoutout to veteran actor Brian Gonzales for his spirited rendition of a mid-90’s classic. A true slam dunk, my friend. (Sorry, I had to.)
The set design is necessarily minimal, with a few pieces of furniture, a visual media screen, and a platform disguised as a basketball being the only physical set pieces. What really worked was Theater Three’s Norma Young’s Arena. With a stadium/coliseum layout, it was easy to transform the deceptively large space into a mini basketball court, complete with hoops and court markings. The ascending rows of seating gave the actors several levels to play from, and I do believe they used them all. It works so seamlessly with the script that I’m almost certain Matt2 wrote it with this theater in mind. Either way, well done.
The Trade is a hilariously clever satire that makes for a fantastic night out. The laughs are frequent, the talent is plentiful, and palpable catharsis of Mavs fans is priceless. If you have a free evening, I highly recommend you hit up Theater Three to catch a performance while its subject matter is still a fresh heartbreak. It may not fix the hurt, but it makes for a damn fine Band-Aid to remind you that sometimes defense does not, in fact, win championships.
Cheers, and I’ll see you at the next curtain!
Kyle
Comments
Post a Comment