Runt of the Litter “It’s only a game”

Review: Runt of the Litter at ACT Theatre

ACT Theatre presents Runt of the Litter, the powerful and acclaimed, semi-autobiographical one-man show by Bob (Bo) Eason. This is 90 minute play with no intermission and directed by Larry Moss.

Just a bit of background information for those of us who are unfamiliar with Bo Eason. Mr. Eason was a professional football player in the National Football League, playing defensive safety for the Houston Oilers for five seasons from 1984-89. After retiring from football, he pursued his desire to work as a performer and playwright.

The play takes place in the NFL locker room before a super bowel game. This is an intense and moving story about growing up in a family and the influence they have on you as a small child. It’s about how these emotions and desires stay with you into adulthood.

Bo is the younger bother of someone who appeared to be born with all the talent to be successful in baseball and football. Bo, who states that “My life has been created by my Dad’s eyes,” worked from an early age to measure up to his father’s expectations. His holy grail was to be the best defensive safety and to be good enough to play in the NFL.

Now when you see Bo on stage you will understand why this is also a funny show. He is kind of small to be a football player; you might even think undersized runt compared to overall size and width of the major football players. His brother, Tony Eason, was the quarterback who led the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl in 1986.

He’s in the locker room talking about what brought him to this moment. This moment which in the short time he has been with his team he must go out play against his big brother. He reminiscences about a knee injury when he was 12-years-old from the training to get in shape for the NFL, part of his 20 year goal. The bonding of father and sons over sports is strong. His father is there to encourage, pushing him to strive to do it all. His brother throws the football to him and his mother helps by ignoring them practicing in the living room.

Game time arrives; he suits up and goes out to play. The sounds are raw and loud of bodies hitting, yelling. It’s not hard to imagine the intense game that is being played outside of the locker room.

If you like football you must go see this play. But from my experience you don’t have to like or know anything about sports to enjoy this play. The story it tells about blue collar families and sons and fathers is a universal story.

Runt of the Litter at ACT Theatre runs through October 11, 2009. There will be a “pay-what-you-will” performance on Thursday October 1, 2009 at 2pm. For more info, visit www.acttheatre.org.

For more about the performance and Bo Eason watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezgANUt6sVY

– Ethel W.