God's Country is a 1988 play written by Steven Dietz and first produced by ACT Theatre. It covers the events around the 1984 murder of Alan Berg by the white supremacist group The Order. As of 1998, the play was produced over 200 times. [1]
The play is a nonlinear narrative strands following three people:
The frame of the play is a trial from real life of ten members of The Order on racketeering charges. [2] Much of the dialogue of the play comes through documents like court transcripts and statements from Order members. [3] A series of fictional vignettes rounds out the play.
Multiple critics thought the play was important to understand extremism in the United States following events such as the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. [4] A review in The News & Observer in 2010 said that the production was a "chilling reminder of the results of unchecked hatred." [5]
The play's reliance on primary sources and documents meant that the characters "speak mostly their own words," [6] which some critics appreciated. However, some critics desired a deeper investigation into the motivations and beliefs of The Order. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer : "[…The play] retains an observer's distance that, at this remove, fails to satisfy. We know what they believe. How do they believe it? Dietz seems as lost as the rest of us." [7] The Chicago Reader said "God’s Country never offers a convincing psychological portrait of the people it puts center stage." [8]
The Los Angeles Times and The News & Observer wrote that the play tried to give too much information in facts and dates, confusing the audience. The play's format where scenes change quickly and actors change characters also added to confusion. [5] [9]
Multiple critics praised the interlude scenes, calling them powerful, eerie, and gripping. [5] [8] [9]