John Fisher Photo courtesy of Theatre Rhinoceros

Though from the title, one might expect a play that takes place in the world of baseball. But no–the left field here refers to the very outsider presidential campaign of one Delson Stammer (John Fisher, who also directed and produced the show), a firebrand AIDS activist and university lecturer who somehow manages to become the Democratic presidential nominee. Stammer is the unlikeliest of politicians: foul-mouthed, abrasive, and gay in exactly the opposite way as, say, Pete Buttigieg is. He's a most impolitic of politicians. Or, as he is referred to in the play, he's "the Trump of the Left."

As a boy, Stammer liked to play war, using a stick as a rifle, running around his backyard pretending to be both Allied and Nazi soldiers. This bellicose attitude carries into his adult life, as he rails against the Bush administration for their inaction during the early days of the AIDS crisis. He's also a big risk taker, enjoying things like diving with sharks and climbing mountains solo.

Stammer turns his anger to action, first by becoming the mayor of Provincetown, then moving to San Francisco, where he runs for–and wins–a slot on the city's Board of Supervisors. Also moving to San Francisco are a former student of his at Yale, Emerald (Elena Swartz), and an old friend, Keble (Gene Mocsy), who become his campaign advisers, persuading him to step into the presidential campaign void when Gavin Newsom announces he won't be running.

The absurdist nature of Left Field is evidenced in multiple ways–not the least of which is the extreme positions Stammer takes and the coarse language he uses: for instance, promising to "say 'motherfucker' at every press conference," and hating on Yale because it's "so pretty. It's like a beautiful whore with gonorrhea." When he's told someone "doesn't identify as 'queer'," he replies, "Neither does Tom Cruise, but he still sucks cock."

Stammer is an interesting character: as a gay man (though he describes himself with the F word), he's already an outsider, but he takes on political positions that don't necessarily align with any party's traditions. He's an "America First" sort of politician, normally a right-wing dog whistle for isolationism. "Let's worry about our own genocide." When the opportunity to run for president arises, he is ashamed that he actually desires the position. "I hate wanting things–it's so... American." At one point he wants to burn down the Federal Building in San Francisco, and declares his belief that "the homeless are saints."

Like some of Fisher's previous shows, the play uses plenty of simple stagecraft and makes full use of the tiny (perhaps three dozen seats) Theatre Rhinoceros space, with Fisher at one point literally climbing the walls (to suggest a climbing gym) and at another, simulating a solo climb up a snow-covered Alaskan peak by crawling along a long sheet of white material, dragging a rope along with him and even screwing bolts into the floor of the space to which he attaches carabiners to clip his rope into. Sadly, this is one of several moments that drag on a bit too long, retarding the forward pace of the play.

The performers give themselves fully to their roles, especially Fisher. With his miming of swimming and actual climbing and crawling and doing situps, Fisher was dripping sweat by the time the 100-minute, no intermission show reached its end.

So, masterpiece or giant mess? Since this is a political play, I will take a politician's position and say this lands somewhere in the middle between these two poles.

Left Field runs through March 15, 2026, at Theatre Rhinoceros, 4229 18th Street, San Francisco CA. Shows are Tuesdays-Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $35-$50, with $17.50 tickets available to "artists, students, seniors and veterans." For tickets and information, please visit www.therhino.org or call 415-552-4100.