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"Angels in America" 2017 London NT Reviews

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WilliamM Grand Master

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Opened May 4, 2017

 

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/may/05/angels-in-america-review-andrew-garfield-nathan-lane-tony-kushner

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/angels-america-national-theatre-reviewdazzling-quirky-often/

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-39791376

 

Angels in America: Eight Reasons Why It Feels Like Heaven

 

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-National-Theatres-ANGELS-IN-AMERICA-starring-Andrew-Garfield-Nathan-Lane-More-20170505

 

With apologies to my friend, @TruHart1 . Some people may not know your thread on Russell Tovey includes "Angels in America" because of the thread title.

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Kenny Grand Master

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Brantley says he "incinerates," but I can't imagine Nathan Lane as Roy Cohn.

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nycman Grand Master

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I often think that I'm the only human alive....that HATES this play.

 

I saw the original broadway production...to me it was long, boring, and pointless.

 

When the angel finally appears...I bust out laughing.

 

My best straight friend at the time said...."you need to see it again...you didn't get it."

 

I tried...and I still hated every minute of it.

 

Remember...the original production came out at the height of the AIDS crisis.....

I despirately wanted to understand and love this play...but I just didn't.

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Kenny Grand Master

Kenny

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I often think that I'm the only human alive....that HATES this play.

 

I saw the original broadway production...to me it was long, boring, and pointless.

 

When the angel finally appears...I bust out laughing.

 

My best straight friend at the time said...."you need to see it again...you didn't get it."

 

I tried...and I still hated every minute of it.

 

Remember...the original production came out at the height of the AIDS crisis.....

I despirately wanted to understand and love this play...but I just didn't.

Your friend was right.

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edjames Mentor

edjames

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And now on Broadway.

I caught an early preview last night, and with the exception that studly handsome Brit actor, Russell Tovey did not transition from the London cast (I had been looking forward to seeing him again on Broadway), this is still an excellent production.

Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield reprise their lead roles. Nathan as the despicable, evil, ruthless Roy Cohn, and Andrew as Prior, the gay man, dying of AIDS, whom the play revolves around. Intense, brutally honest and relevant in today's world, this play does not disappoint. Interestingly, the "Republican" lines resonated with the audience in today's political climate. The audience loved it. Rousing standing ovation, and well-deserved, I might add, although at 3+ hours, it is a bit of a theatrical marathon.

I miraculously survived the AIDS crisis. The virus still with us, and although there are new and much improved drugs and treatments, I well remember those who literally fell off the face of the earth during the early 80's and died quickly because doctors had no idea how to treat them. The government stood silent against the plague and refused to do anything. Not only was this true of the Reagan administration, but here in NYC, we can blame Mayor Koch and others for their refusals to acknowledge the crisis. Gay men and women organized and found ways to help their brethren cope with devastation.

This play drags up personal painful memories for me, but I did enjoy this production. I've seen a few others over the years. I did not go to the original production as I was so burned out from attending funerals, memorial services and donating my time and monies to AIDS charities in the 80's and early 90's, that I needed a respite from the crisis.

That said, I look forward to next Sunday's performance of part2.

Interestingly, if you caught Nathan Lane on Stephen Colbert a couple of weeks ago, he talked about Roy Cohn's influence on our current "leader" (He Who Shall Nt Be Named) and how Cohn taught him how to deflect criticism and accusation by accusing others, pointing the finger in the other direction, and when everything else fails, deny, deny, deny. Interesting perspective and commentary from Nathan.

Definite Tony noms for Nathan and Andrew.

 

ED

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WilliamM Grand Master

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Definite Tony noms for Nathan and Andrew.

 

If I see this production credit Garfield and Lane. Thank you for the review. I saw the original New York production. And I am currently reading "The Ascent if Angels in America: The

World Only Spins Forward" by Isaac Butler and Dan Kois. So seeing the two-part play again might be two much. Also it requires staying overnight twice in NYC. Perhaps I should see the Albee play ("Three Tall Women") instead or even the Potter two-part play

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TruthBTold Grand Master

TruthBTold

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I often think that I'm the only human alive....that HATES this play.

I saw the original broadway production...to me it was long, boring, and pointless.

When the angel finally appears...I bust out laughing.

My best straight friend at the time said...."you need to see it again...you didn't get it."

I tried...and I still hated every minute of it.

Remember...the original production came out at the height of the AIDS crisis.....

I despirately wanted to understand and love this play...but I just didn't.

 

Actually we are different but hate something. I must be the only person that absolutely H - A - T - E - S Nathan Lane in almost everything. He would destroy this work for me. I hope others can enjoy him because he is on stage for awhile.

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WilliamM Grand Master

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Not to be uncouth but do they retain the full frontal scene from the original production?

 

From someone who saw both productions, posted on Talking Broadway:

 

"Lee Pace is much more explicit in his nude scene than Russell Tovey was, I wonder if this is left to the actor's decision about how much they will display on stage, I would imagine so".

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TruHart1 Grand Master

TruHart1

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7c4f05f28a2d57c2ca7abeaa6ce24ccf.jpg

 

As far as Russell Tovey's nude scene, I read somewhere that in the filmed version of the original NT production Russell only showed his naked butt (which I can verify, having watched it on film myself) but that in every other performance which was not being filmed, he showed full-frontal. Why? I have not read any explanation but my guess would be that he was okay with full frontal nudity in the stage performance but they (TPTB or Russell himself) decided to not show full frontal for posterity so that if drama classes/student studies, etc., studying this production would be more accessible for universal serious study?

 

TruHart1 :cool:

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edjames Mentor

edjames

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RAVE REVIEW from NYTimes....Ben B called it "flat out fabulous" and the performances "vividly drawn, and magnificent."

I agree that it is a pretty large commitment of time, as the play is in two parts, so you have to invest at least two nights at the theater or one marathon day.

Still, this is a sure Tony winner for best revival and I cannot imagine that Mr. Garfield and Mr. Lane will not among the best actor nominees.

Closing date is June 30th, but I cannot imagine that they might extend and perhaps a new cast.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/25/theater/angels-in-america-review-nathan-lane-andrew-garfield.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

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