The Play's the Thing

I find it impossible to review a production of Tony Kushner's masterpiece Angels in America . Why? Well, for one, the play is the thing. It's one of the most stunning pieces of writing ever, and definitely the best play of the twentieth century. We always discuss who the "new" Shakespeare is (Sondheim? Eminem? Lin-Manuel Miranda?) but going by Angels in America alone, I argue that it is Kushner. His writing is dense and poetic, political, and absolutely beautiful, and yet accessible and entertaining. Unless some director makes some drastic cuts to the script (and he or she should not!), the text is there, the beauty is there. Another reason is that I am so close to the material. I've mentioned before that it is one of my favorite plays (along with Hamlet and The Pillowman ) but I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me. I read it for the first time when I was maybe fourteen, right around the time the HBO movie was released. I read it and watch...