Review: BAD HOMBRES at Theatre Rhino

Bad Hombres

Written by Guillermo Reyes

Directed by River Bermudez Sanders

Theatre Rhinoceros

Guillermo Reyes' Bad Hombres is a delightful romp into gender fluidity, cultural confusion, and a fetish for choosing "bad guys" all seen from a Latinx point of view. Actor Rudy Guererro successfully maneuvers through a series of characters, mostly comic, in this charming one-man show.

Mixing multimedia videos and music between scene changes enhances the transitions between the titled monologues. Three scenarios follow Ulysses Maximilian Lopez, an overly opinionated , obnoxious, mixed-race gay man struggling to find love. Thru a series on monologues titles Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Dating, Guerrero actually makes this bitchy queen sympathetic as he connives to get a sample of his father's blood to test for DNA in hopes of gaining his US citizenship.

Other characters include; a macho, neurotic Puerto Rican with troublesome kidney stones railing against not just gay marriage, but the institution in general, a Guatemalan drag queen infatuated with a 'hot' border patrolman he hopes will make love to him, then deport him, and a gay man demanding an apology for a gay bashing.

The writing is smart, illuminating the struggles of mixed-race immigrants, sexual identities and life on the down low. Bitchy queens make for delicious caricature, from Paul Lynde to Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy to Jack on Will & Grace. Even when Rudy Guererro's character is fat bashing his date, we feel his desperation and deep insecurities. Bad Hombres is a one-man showpiece not just for the Latinx community, but for all gay men who maneuver through the trials and tribulations of love and self-identity.

Up next at Theatre Rhino is A Slice of Life opening October 23rd. Tickets available at 415-552-4100 or www.therhino.org

Photo credits: Vince Thomas

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