SDSU’s Experimental Theatre Production of Hookman: a Review

Photo by Ken Jacques

On March 24, 2019, I wasn’t sure what to expect from SDSU’s experimental theatre production of Hookman, written by Lauren Yee and directed by Jennifer Eve Thorn. I mean how scary could a hamburger on a hook really be? Was the play scary? You betcha! Some of us in the audience had heard that Hookman could pop out of anywhere, so for a little more than an hour, we shared Lexi’s anxiety, but the comedy helps to lighten the mood as beginning with the first scene.


Lexi (Kennedy Garcia) returns home on a break from college and wants to hang out with her childhood best friend, Jess (Dominique Payne). The two of them are involved in a tragic car accident where Jess is killed. Lexi’s subconscious guilt over Jess’s death manifests into an urban legend from her childhood, Hookman, and haunts her for the rest of the play. Dr. Phillip Serrato, English professor of gothic literature at SDSU, joined the cast for a post-performance Q&A. Serrato explains to the audience, “Hookman is a physical manifestation of all the trauma in [Lexi].” The gothic in this work serves as a modality for discussing serious issues to include college life, date rape and #BelieveWomen, and survivor’s guilt.

The comedy blended with horror and serious topics produces an uncomfortable laughter that forces its audience to consider new perspectives. This seemed to be the case with Thorn’s vision for Yee’s Hookman. One audience member said during the Q&A that followed the production, “The comedy helped me get through it.” Serrato explains that the comedy provides “relief from the real trauma.” In this case, Lexi’s real trauma is her date rape experience and being behind the wheel when her best friend Jess died in the car accident. As for Lexi holding Hookman’s hand in the final scene, one could argue that Lexi has symbolically indicated that she has come to an understanding with her dark passenger and is coping with her grief.


Hookman is spooky on a whole different level!

(KT)