Fatherland

By Joseph Cervelli

In the program, "Fatherland" playing at New York City Center Stage II  states the show is verbatim theater which means "every word comes from court  evidence, public statements and the official transcript of THE UNITED STATES VS. GUY WESLEY REFFITT." In the event the name is not familiar (as it was not to me) he was the first person to be convicted in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. What makes it even more incredible is that he was turned in by his nineteen year old son, Jackson (beautifully played by Patrick Keleher). 

Before you think this is a staid reading of court transcripts think again. "Fatherland" is a powerful, emotionally gritty and upsetting rendering of what occurred on that infamous day that we should never forget. 

What conceiver and director Stephen Sachs so expertly accomplishes is to do his best to present Reffitt (played brilliantly and exhaustingly by Ron Bonitta) as a manic ultra right wingbeliever in former President Trump and/or as his lawyer (well played by Larry Poindexter) stated someone suffering from severe emotional issues and taking Xanax proving he is not well. Anna Khaja portrays the U.S. Attorney a bit too laidback.

What works so very well is that the show does not exclusively play in the courtroom (only a few chairs and two tables as designed by Joel Daavid) which basically occurs at the end of the 80 minutes. At first you hear Reffitt  speaking about his prosperous job as someone who has worked on an oil rig and then that job collapsed throwing the family into ruin. He makes a statement which many of the more radical followers of Trump follow which is he provides an "outlet" for them to basically say and do what they want and need. I have several good friends who do support the former President who are quite intelligent and just feel he will be a better leader. But then there are those who are almost psychotic in their beliefs as in Reffitt. 

Jackson recorded the conversations before and after his father marches to the Capitol. This is why the play feels like it not just from transcripts. They re-enact what is on the tape. And I liked the fact Sachs have them moving around the stage almost using the table as furniture in their home. 

There is not doubt that as crazed Refitt has become he still loves his son but his devotion to the cause of those extremists supporting Trump has him accosting his son threatening to kill him if he finds out he has turned him in. Jackson pulls no punches calling his dad a traitor and there is sadly no reasoning with him.

What is scary is seeing all the rounds of ammunition in boxes that Reffitt decides to bing to the Capitol. 

What is brought out and might  not bring a shining light on Jackson is that he has arranged for a GoFund page for himself which raised over $150,000. Reffitt's lawyer questions this especially emphasizing the money was exclusively for himself despite Jackson's claim his mother and sister turned it down. 

What I found very touching is when Reffitt in his final statements shows Jackson squirming in his chair fighting about tears thinking what his father has become. And what is frightening is when Reffitt speaks slowly in a normal voice until his frighteningly prophetic  that next time they will not be so "cordial." That truly gave one shivers.

"Fatherland" is so well acted and pure theater that don't let the fact that it comes from transcripts, etc. deter you. You owe it to yourself to see this mighty new play. 

PHOTOS: Maria Baranova

Tickets are available at the New York City Center Stage II 131 West 55th Street.

 

The Counter

By Joseph Cervelli

Meghan Kennedy's new play "The Counter" at The Roundabout at Laura Pels Theatre starts off on a slow path and then ends unsuccessfully about a server Katie (Susannah Flood) at a coffee shop in upstate New York and a patron Paul (Anthony Edwards)who is the first early morning customer arriving for a coffee six days a week. He has been coming there for two years the amount of time that Katie has been employed. I have to say that coffee might be the only thing I would order in Walt Spangler's minuscule and dingy looking coffee shop.

In the early part of the play, Paul has a bombshell request for Katie which really doesn't go anywhere and then for the rest of the 75 minute show the dialogue becomes mostly mundane. Strangely, Paul and Katie know each other for so long, and yet I never felt any kind of camaraderie between them. Granted there is no love interest on either part, but it does feel like they should know some things after spending time alone for two years just about every day until other patrons came into the diner. If there were other customers I would understand a lack of communication, but Paul is especially talkative so it would make sense if they would have some small talk.  Katie comes out with a rather unfeeling remark to Paul about his being there is just "until" the next person arrives meaning he is not really a special patron but then expresses her concern when he misses a day due to his having a cold..  Before he asks her to do something for him he wants to know if they can be friends within the diner but not really outside of it.  He reveals his secret about being a recovering alcoholic for 11 years (he is retired) and then his having an affair with the town doctor Peg (Amy Warren) while her husband was battling cancer. 

Katie divulges a rather unusual secret being she has 27 emails she has not deleted from her phone from her ex-boyfriend for the past two years. While we never see the boyfriend but hear his voice  (Will Brill)  from his emails it seems rather disconcerting.  They were dating for a while but nothing much seemed to have occurred between them because he wanted to put her "on a pedestal" and treat her as almost untouchable. Instead of just ending the relationship she moves away to the current location. That seems a bit far fetched unless he made threats to her. And why not just break it off and contact the authorities if he starts to harass her.  What makes even less sense is whys kept those emails unless she has some strong feelings for him. 

Peg visits the diner and there is a brief encounter between her and Paul. She reveals some information to Katie about Paul (he saved a family in a fire, took care of his ailing mother and brother and joined the Peace Corps). 

I wish Kennedy would have explored this further in conversation between both of them. 

One interesting thing that David Cromer has done as director is have the light change color and spotlight (lighting design by Stacy Derosier)  the characters when are having an internal monologue or when Peg and Paul have one brief intimate moment. 

The performances are good though not memorable. 

What is extremely disappointing is the ending of the play. It has an unfinished feel to it. Almost like Kennedy did not know what more to say about her characters . What makes little sense is what Katie decides to do in a blink of the eye even though Paul gives his go ahead which I did not believe for a moment. And the bombshell request I briefly mentioned just fizzles out. Has Paul reconsidered? There’s really nothing to convey keeping  his decision or changing it. 

Somewhere there is a honest and moving play here but as presented left me feeling completely unfulfilled. 

PHOTOS: Joan Marcus

Tickets are available at the Laura Pels Theatre 111 West 46th Street.