‘Fatherland’ captures zeitgeist of Jan. 6 riot

With “Fatherland,” Peppermint Creek Theatre Co. continues a season of timely and important pieces that are vital for spurring conversation, challenging beliefs and assumptions, and building community.

The play tells the true tale of an 18-year-old son (Keara Hayes) who turned in his father (Mark Gmazel) to the FBI for participating in the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Conceived by Stephen Sachs, the script is a tapestry of verbatim court transcripts, public statements and case evidence, reshaped into a gripping story that drives home the toll Donald Trump’s America has on individuals and families.

When I volunteered for this review, there was no way to anticipate the events unraveling in Minneapolis. Even worse, I chose to see the show Saturday night (Jan. 24), following the killing of Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents. Attending “Fatherland” seemed a daunting chore. Surprisingly, while it was unpleasant to relive the horror of the Jan. 6 riot, the quality of the production made it worthwhile.

The innovative structure allows the story to slowly build in intensity as the son describes how his father became radicalized and how it impacted their relationship. Early in the play, the father comes across as a stereotypical good ol’ boy, parroting what he reads from Donald Trump’s books or hears on Fox News. Over time, his righteousness and anger shift toward action, and he becomes more physically threatening.

Gmazel nails the role of the father, naturally assuming his accent and physicality. After returning home from the riot, his character delivers an intense soliloquy as he recounts his charge up the steps of the Capitol, and Gmazel is simply mesmerizing.

As the U.S. attorney, Rose Jangmi Cooper is methodical and even, while Jonas Greenberg does an excellent job as the slick defense attorney, skillfully unsettling the son on the witness stand.

Hayes shows her versatility and acting skills in her role as the son. She easily conveys the lanky awkwardness of a teenage boy, both in her physicality and her facial expressions. Uncomfortable, torn, unsure — Hayes portrays the spectrum of emotions experienced by a young man thrust into a situation that pits his personal beliefs against his familial relationships.

The program provides a warning about explicit language, flashing lights and loud sounds, but those are less jarring or triggering than the use of audio clips of Trump, especially the infamous speech where he fired up his supporters and sent them to the Capitol. To be sure, those audio elements are key to the innovative storytelling and add necessary gravitas, but it’s almost surreal to hear these sound bites in the context of a theater performance.

The production values are outstanding, including Ross Brower’s amazing set, an enormous backdrop of the Capitol jaggedly split in half. Zara Hertafeld’s lighting and Stewart Blackwood’s sound design envelop the audience in the intensity of the riot.

“Fatherland” joins other important plays, such as “The Laramie Project,” that capture the zeitgeist of infamous events in U.S. history. Future generations will benefit from the true story of how Trump divided the country, right down to the family level. When people who didn’t live this wonder how and why the riot happened, “Fatherland” will provide a real example of how people can become polarized.