Roger Guenveur Smith, a master of the one-man show, returns with his ninth solo effort, Juan and John. In it, he alternately impersonates two baseball players, San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal and L.A. Dodger catcher John Roseboro, who in 1965 took part in an infamous brawl. Smith, aided by Marc Anthony Thompson's video projections, not only recreates the brawl but digs deeply into its social and racial ramifications.
Marichal, one of the first Dominican players in the majors, was a star pitcher for the Giants. Roseboro was African-American, a journeyman player who took over for the Dodger's Roy Campanella after that great catcher was injured in a car crash. The dark-skinned Marichal and Roseboro, we learn, both came from impoverished backgrounds and suffered prejudice, injustice and humiliation in racist America as they worked their way up to the big leagues.
Smith brings both men to life in a vivid and convincing way, using their personal relationship to also investigate the larger historical forces that shaped them: LBJ's invasion of the Dominican republic, the Watts riot, the assassination of Martin Luther King, the war in Vietnam. At the same time, Smith talks about his own life, weaving memories of his baseball-obsessed childhood, family and professional struggles, into the mix.
With so many stories to tell, so much history to investigate, Juan and John sometimes loses focus and gets confusing and repetitive; judicious editing is called for. But Smith is such a skilled and charismatic performer that he manages to hold one's interest throughout. He also peppers his monologue with humor, drawing laughs with his quips and wit.
But what makes Juan and John so successful is the way it dramatizes Marichal and Roseboro's journey, how they were able to go from hatred and violence to friendship and respect. Ultimately, forgiveness and redemption, and not just baseball, are what this show is all about.
