Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago has launched its fall season with a revival of Suzan-Lori Parks’ acclaimed play “Topdog/Underdog,” directed by Kenny Leon and featuring ensemble members Glenn Davis and Namir Smallwood in the central roles. This staging is a reimagining of Leon’s 2022 Broadway production, which was praised for its emphasis on the play’s humanity and use of humor alongside its serious themes.

“Topdog/Underdog” centers on two African American brothers, Lincoln and Booth, whose fraught relationship unfolds within the confines of a modest apartment. The play explores their complex dynamics against a backdrop of economic hardship and familial dysfunction. Lincoln has taken on a degrading job as a carnival attraction, dressing as Abraham Lincoln to be “assassinated” repeatedly by patrons reenacting the historic event. This role symbolizes a tension between identity and survival, embodying themes of emasculation and racial representation. Booth, confined largely to the apartment, aspires to emulate his brother’s hustling lifestyle through three-card monte but is also haunted by desires for love and normalcy amid the realities of abandonment and trauma.

The production retains the rich set and costume designs originally crafted for the Broadway staging by Arnulfo Maldonado and Dede Ayite, preserving the symbolic and visual elements that deepen the narrative’s impact. Throughout the play, the brothers navigate their personal struggles, revealing layers of vulnerability, rivalry, and yearning for connection. Their interactions reflect broader societal concerns, including systemic inequality, the legacies of racial injustice, and the enduring effects of childhood neglect.

Critics have noted the dual nature of the characters as both distinct individuals and symbolic representations of deeper conflicts. Davis’s portrayal of Lincoln conveys a volatile mixture of charm and desperation, using rapid shifts in tone to reveal a man battling his inner demons. Smallwood’s Booth captures a fragile intensity, embodying the collision between love and self-destruction that defines his character’s path. Their dynamic emphasizes the play’s exploration of the strategies individuals employ to manage profound anger and sorrow.

“Topdog/Underdog” functions on multiple levels, simultaneously presenting a personal family drama and serving as a metaphor for the American experience, particularly the challenges faced by Black men striving for identity and agency within oppressive systems. The frequent motif of whiteness—Lincoln’s painted face and the figure of Abraham Lincoln—underscores the contradictions and unfulfilled promises embedded in the nation’s history.

This Steppenwolf revival has been described as both a compelling interpretation of an American tragedy and a reflection on the nature of performance itself, inviting audiences to witness the brothers’ struggles with a mixture of empathy and critical distance. By highlighting the humanity at the core of Parks’ work, the production offers a nuanced and resonant portrayal of survival, creativity, and fractured brotherhood.