EMAV REVIEW: Lombardi ***** Irresistible

Photos by @kris.mayeshiro and @km2creative

Touchdown!

By Paul Atreides

Let’s make this perfectly clear: I know nothing about sports and even less about football. But the name Vincent Lombardi is one even I can’t claim to be ignorant about. The iconic Vince Lombardi Trophy, named for the iconic coach, is awarded each year to the winning team of the Super Bowl.

But you don’t need to be a football geek or even a general fan of the game to fully enjoy Lombardi by Eric Simonson, based on the book When Pride Mattered – a Life of Vince Lombardi. The play is not about football, it’s about the man.

Directed by Jacob Moore and now playing at Las Vegas Little Theatre (LVLT), the production is engrossing. While the plays and stats may go over the head, the larger-than-life titular character does not. Moore has done an excellent job in guiding his cast.

T.J. Larson plays Lombardi in stature and vocal tone and speech patterns so convincingly that, when the real thing is on a video screen at the back of the stage or a voiceover plays, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Larson is completely in it for the win, and it shows in every nuance.