Sigh.
That pretty much sums up my feelings on 'Angels' - it is such an overwhelming piece of theatre, it is just simply fantastic on every level. Its one of those pieces of literature that transcends literature and leaves its mark culturally. I mean, before it became the TV phenomenon that it is now, most of the Americans here will probably know that it was a multi-Tony (and any other Theatrical Award, for that matter) winner, and really put Tony Kushner on the map.
It remains, for me, the most outstanding and most relevant piece of American literature in the last few decades. Kushner is right up there with Miller and Williams, and if anyone should be fortunate enough to come across this piece, either by watching the HBO, reading the play or going to the theatre, I implore you to do so. Very few theatrical pieces can be called important - this is such a piece.
Its not just about AIDS or homosexuality, its not just about religion and politics and its not just the big questions such as life and death and spirituality - its about all these things, but you really do have to revert to the title 'Angels in America' - it summarises America in the last century perfectly and so movingly, and, surprisingly - given that it is concerned with AIDS, optimistically.
It follows three main stories; - The story of Prior Walter (a Protestant) and his being diagnosed with AIDS. His Jewish boyfriend dumps him and Walter is visited by some demented Angel telling him that 'the Great Work Begins', and hailing him as a prophet.
Meanwhile, his boyfriend goes and starts a relationship with Joe Pitt, a Mormon, who has just recently discovered that he's gay and, unbeknown to him, is slowly being manipulated/seduced by Roy Cohn, who is in danger of being disbarred and has also been diagnosed with AIDS (though he is, as you can imagine, a complete closet-case and calls it 'liver cancer'). Consequently, he is hospitalized and is given an incredibly camp nurse, Belize, to look after him. Also, he is haunted by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg, whom he helped execute back in the McCarthy era, back for retribution.
Meanwhile, Joe Pitt's long-suffering pill-popping wife, Harper, is having visions in her solitude of a man called 'Mr. Lies'. Also, she is visited by Joe's mother, Hannah, who, after being told on the phone by Joe of his homosexuality, decides to visit their home to restore everything to order.
Anyhow, these three stories develop and interconnect in some pretty fantastic ways. What they all have in common is that they show how Time has shaped America in so many different ways. AIDS is referred to by the Angel as the 'virus of time', and seems to be acting as some form of catalyst for American society. Truths are disclosed, illusions destroyed, ghosts of the past are put to rest, all the while hoping for 'God' to return.
For those who have seen it, look back to the beginning of the play when, at the Jewish funeral, the grandmother is given a eulogy about how she dragged herself and her family from Europe to the America and the 21st century, and created her own part of America. That really is what the play is about; change in America. You have a moderately young society founded by immigrants, by different faiths and systems of belief, and yet the society is rushing forward to the future.
I've never bought into the whole argument that it 'bashes Republicans'. It does criticize the Reagan administration, and that is where you can feel Kushner's liberal ideals. He does criticize how Reagan's America is 'not a country for the ill' and that it did turn a blind eye to the sheer scale of what was happening. I happen to agree with it, not because its a chance to bash
Reagan (an administration I have nothing but contempt for), but because its a criticism that is true of practically every government that dealt with AIDS in the first place. The reason WHY AIDS is such a monumental problem now is because, for far too long, there were too many myths attached to it. Myths that it was 'a gay cancer'. That it was 'out there' as opposed to 'not around me' - that it was somebody else's problem and somehow not mine. Practically everyone, except for Homosexuals who had to suffer a long period of even more prejeduice and were in no danger whatsoever of forgetting the threat of AIDS, was guilty of believing such mythology. Too many governments took far too long to act, and the results are evident.
The theme of self-delusion and hypocrisy is epitomised in the pathetic and vile character of Roy Cohn. And this is not liberal bashing - Roy Cohn's conduct as a lawyer and human being has been shown in far too many history books, Liberal of Conservative, to be a hypocritical, cynical zealot who did a lot of harm. His character represents much of the injustices that went on back in the era of McCarthy, and the injustices that go on now - even until the very end, he refuses to believe that he is dying of AIDS, and that he is a homosexual. ('AIDS is what homosexuals get, I have liver cancer').
His character is thus visited by Ethel Rosenberg, who he helped execute for being a Communist Spy (though it was little more than circumstantial evidence - the stronger evidence was found for her husband, Julius) who makes his death even more painful, though he is never even slightly repentant for his past actions. Ultimately, however, you really do feel sorry for him, despite him being so vile - the virus of time affects everyone of all faiths and political persuasion.
It is a remarkable piece of work - and I have gone on for too long. I apologise; I love talking about this piece, because it does a fie job of saying what very few pieces have been able to say about AIDS. It really doesnt matter if you're Catholic or Jewish, Liberal or Conservative - if you have any understanding or feeling for the era we live in, an era that really asks us to think fast and grow up fast before it is too late, and if you have any empathy for the horror that is the AIDS virus, I implore you to at least give this piece a chance.
Ant.
P.S - Oh, and the cast for the HBO movie (which I bought the moment it came out in the UK) is to die for. Al Pacino. Meryl Streep. Emma Thompson. Jeffrey Wright. If you're a Pacino fan, like me... it really is worth watching just to see Pacino's heart-breakingly visceral performance.
