The storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was accompanied by tremendous chaos. There is no doubt that it was a tragic moment of human explosive aggression, but the precise drama that led up to that moment is hopelessly entangled in online posts, photographs, and security camera footage. This month, Quasimondo Physical Theatre theatrically explores the tangled mess of the chain of events that led to the attack, Red, white and coup.
More than a simple docudrama, writer-director Brian Lott’s work is a collision of first-hand testimony, memoir, interviews and archives. It combines archival evidence, music and yet another twist on the comic surrealism that Lott and Quasimondo have long enjoyed success with on stage. Fact dances with “a dash of fiction” to create a piece that serves as an interesting side note to the Republican National Convention downtown. “We took liberties with the format and style to create an accessible piece that showcases the spectacle and circus of politics,” says Lott. “In many cases, the content is ridiculous enough that we didn’t need to add much.”
Lott isn’t acting alone; he’s leading a group of seven actors, all trying to bring 54 characters to the stage. The challenge is keeping the action going without stopping as the performers try to take on the roles of politicians, lawyers, media figures and some of the most well-known mob figures. It’ll be a juggle, but Lott has plenty of experience bringing a wide range of wild energy to the stage, in a surreal variety performance that blends disparate elements into a breathtaking coherence. The renovated North Milwaukee Village Hall has a spacious warehouse feel that can be filled in a variety of ways.
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Casimondo’s show feels like a circus pulled into a strange parallel dimension. There’s always a strangely hypnotic distortion and amplification. The surreal sense of reality warping should make for an intriguing dynamic for political drama and satire at the heart of the chaos. If they can find the momentum, Lott and company could offer something rarely offered by the plethora of hours of cable news, video blogs, blogs, and late-night talk shows. If they can find the momentum, Casimondo could offer a work of art that can transcend the ugliness of contemporary politics.
Quasimodo Physical Theatre red, White and the Coup It runs from July 13-27 at the North Milwaukee Art House., 5151 North 35th St. For more information, visit quasimondo.org
