The Tony Kushner Season at the Signature Theatre Company

While waiting for a recent performance of MoLoRa to begin at the Ailey Center, two women chatted about Tony Kushner's Angels in America. One felt that the play had somehow been unjustly deified and both could not understand the acclaim that the work had received. I felt like barging into their conversation and asking how they could not possibly like this great work by Mr. Kushner but decided against doing so. Today, however, I get to write about this fine piece and the Signature Theatre Company's Tony Kushner season, which had its ups and its downs.  

Angels in America

I loved Angels in America and gladly sat on the steps of the Signature Theatre in order to see this great two-part seven hour work. I unfortunately did not see it when it was on Broadway, but I have the book and saw the HBO presentation of the work, set in the 1980s during the AIDS epidemic. The fine actors in this production capture the essence of the period and skillfully carried out the intertwining multiple roles required in this complex engrossing piece which deals with the real and the abstract. This is one of the best productions I have ever seen and the Signature Theatre Company is one of the best in NYC.

The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures

After experiencing Angels in America, I could not wait to see this play with the lengthy complicated title. But what a disappointment. I did not like this crammed play one bit and wondered as I watched it how is it possible that I am not able to connect with any of these characters and why don't I care one bit what happens to any of them. Furthermore, it simply was not credible to me why Gus Marcantonio, the patriarch of the family and long time communist, would want to take his life. 

When I read TONY's positive review of this production, I wondered if we had both seen the same play; for a moment I thought if just maybe I saw the play too early in the preview process but then caught myself. You couldn't pay me to sit through this play again.

The Illusion
Luckily, redemption for the play with the lengthy title came in the form of an early Kushner work, The Illusion. While not on the same epic level as Angels in America, the Tony Kushner season ended on a pleasant in this adaptation of Pierre Corneille's L'Illusion Comique about a lawyer who seeks a magician's help in locating his son, who he banished years ago. Beautiful set, beautiful costumes. Beautiful acting. And similar to The School for Lies, it was just so nice to listen to.