Review: The Alley Theatre Presents a Challenging Portrait of the U.S. in AMERIKIN

There's a question at the heart of Chisa Hutchison's Amerikin. Should we sympathize with hateful people? The piece in many ways acts as an exercise in empathy. We have characters willing to do reprehensible things yet suffer great turmoil. Do they deserve sympathy? If they do, whose job is it to give it to them? Ultimately, the play treats "hatred" as a poison that destroys everyone who comes near. No one's beliefs go unchallenged and everyone has potential for violence. The play dives into a part of America we can no longer pretend doesn't exist.

To dive too much into the plot would betray the play because so much of its effectiveness comes from how Hutchison chose to convey information. The first scene sets up our lead as a loveable redneck in Sharpsburg, Maryland. The next scene complicates things, to say the least. The first act spirals from there until you might think you have a lid on the play. That is until it becomes something else entirely. That's all very vague, but this play is best experienced blind.

I can say that the reactions from the crowd were priceless. Genuine laughter turned to nervous laughter. At times the tension was so thick people could barely hold in their breathing. If you go as a couple, this makes for a great "bruised forearm" play because your partner will grab your arm over and over.

The performers all did a great job portraying characters full of contradictions and self-denials. David Matranga as Jeff Browning conveyed someone with the potential to be a good man but unable to face the harm caused by his actions. Teresa Zimmermann was genuinely heartbreaking with her realistic take on postpartum depression. The crowd favorite had to be Raven Justine Troup as Chris Lamott whose monologues led to multiple "mm-hmm's" coming from the audience. The father/daughter dynamic between her and Shawn Hamilton's Gerald Lamott made me think of a different take on Atticus Finch and Scout. Together they make the purest and least toxic relationship in the piece. They bring some hope to a story filled with darkness.

I believe the play itself represents one-half of the experience. The rest comes from the discussion people have afterward. On the ride home I wondered how I would deal with the same conflict. The past few years have opened our eyes to the willful ignorance of deplorable people. Is it our responsibility to reject them, punish them, or to reach out a hand? Hutchison's characters face this question, but the answer could be debated forever.

Amerikin runs until March 13. For tickets go to AlleyTheatre.org.