In a follow up to last year’s presentation of Angels in America, Part 1, the Maryland Ensemble Theatre has endeavored to complete the series with Angels in America, Part 2, Perestroika. The production of these two pieces is a monumental undertaking creating almost a seven-hour total theater experience.
It’s hard not to write a comparative review. The cast and design team remain relatively the same. The set, music and costume themes do not alter dramatically from part 1, many may actually be the same. The projection laden, white linen draped, two ‘garage door’ set, with pieces coming on and off, was stylistically the same, though not quite as efficient this time. The time it takes for some transitions to occur don’t pay off, the waiting not worth the set dressing. And while I still want the soundtrack of Kaydin Hamby’s 80s pop underscore (though occasionally overly editorial) if we get to the lyrics after the introduction, the transition is too long. That being said, the 3 hours and 40 minutes (with 2 very strict 10-minute intermissions) actually flows by pretty quickly due mostly to Director Tad Janes’ deft push of tempo within many scenes and the actors facility with the text.
The second part of the story takes us through Prior’s struggles fighting AIDS and fending off death while dealing with being left alone. After a mystical experience, Prior believes himself to be a prophet. Is it the disease impacting Prior’s mind or does Prior really cross worlds to interact with Harper to explore the relationship of their cheating ex-lovers? Joe (Harper’s Husband) and Louis (who left Prior dying in the hospital in part 1) continue their affair until Louis discovers a chasm in their political views. Joe’s mom Hannah visits from Utah but instead of intervening in Joe and Hannah’s life gets dragged into Prior’s. Belize nurses an AIDS infected Roy Cohn through his worst hours and his cache of AZT, a miracle AIDS drug highly in demand, while Cohn spouts slurs and postulates his own legacy. Intermix a visit from an angel, a godly council, a few Jewish prayers, and you have Perestroika, part 2.
This production has me conflicted. It has an incredibly capable acting ensemble. Playwright Tony Kushner’s language is poetic and some monologues stretch for minutes. The cast capably handles the text and there are superlative performances. Jeremy Miles shines as Prior though Kushner gives us less time to enjoy the deprecation of Prior’s humor and spends more time wallowing in the illness of angst, emotionally draining Prior till the miracle of rejuvenation. Shea-Mikal Green again handles Harper with dexterity, lightly bouncing through tortured hell with childlike disbelief and wonder but finding a resolve absent before. Ray Hatch handles Belize with razor wit and grounding steadfastness but also the occasional line bobble. Jack Evans’ Roy Cohn delivers a painfully excruciating end worthy of a character of such a despicable nature. I’m sorry to say I missed much of his dialogue at the top of Act 2. It was not so much the softness of vocal pitch as it was the couple next to me eating bags of Crunchy Cheetos. I do not fault them. These were obtained through front of house and allowed in the theatre. While I understand the financial upside to allowing patrons to bring food and drink into the theaters and am not against it, I would encourage theaters to curate their snack choices as carefully as they do their seasons, it definitely impacted the audience’s ability to appreciate the work.
Matt Baughman wears down Joe Pitt scene by scene, stripping him, sometimes literally, of his essence to a hollow husk. Julie Herber surprises again and again being utilized in multiple roles and delighting us with delicate light singing, though I wish blocked less in profile. I sat house right and missed a lot of the bedside haunting. The scene when Hannah and Prior meet is one of the evenings highlights. Eric Jones’ portrayal of Louis is a difficult one. Jones handles some of Kushner’s most difficult text, other characters turn to Louis for explanations, and Jones does so with great clarity. He could benefit, however, by acting more on the lines and less between them. And the Angel. Tori Weaver. What a delight. Beautiful shapes and hands and dexterity with text making the most difficult imagery in the piece clear and digestible and interesting to watch.
Where my conflict lies is in the technical demands of this piece. Although admirably attempted, the grandeur of the titular character was not fully achieved. Rachel Smith’s Angel costumes were elegantly designed and Weaver utilizes the wings with precision and grace. The Angels’ first entrance does have impact, but gets immediately undercut despite Weaver’s best efforts, by being able to see the backstage magic. The stylization of the fight scene of the Angel with Prior was muddled and did not read as an epic battle. The lights and sound were underutilized and the stakes felt very low. Utilizing other cast members in neutral all black costumes to manipulate the Angel into flight and Prior toward the heavenly light was creative but did not meet the impact of the moment. The neutrality of the ensemble actually detracted from the drama of the battle. Having the ensemble help to sell the illusion of the battle may have helped elevate the moment. Harper and Joe’s stage slap also missed. Slapping someone to get that desired slap sound and not leaving a mark or hurting your partner is hard, but when it misses, it misses, and it looked uncomfortable. The stylization of the gods council was very effective as were the majority of the combinations of Shana Joslyn’s lights and Tom Majorav’s projections.
Angels in America, Part 2, Perestroika, has, as Janes mentions in the notes from the Artistic Director, has “timeless themes (that) still resonate” but it does present as a period piece. Kushner took a big risk on the largeness of the “historical footnote” Roy Cohn would be and I’m not sure it paid off, although the story is important. Part 2 does ‘stand alone’ as a play. You don’t need to have seen part 1, enough back story is relayed to follow along. Angels feels to me like Hamlet, Rocky Horror, or Doll’s House; one of the canon that you really must see if you have the opportunity; and for that, I commend the MET. Challenging the company and its audience with such compelling work both textually and technically. I believe one challenge outshined the other.
Running Time: 3 hours and 40 minutes with two intermissions
Angels in America Part II- Perestroika plays through October 29th 2023 on the Main Stage of the Maryland Ensemble Theatre in the Historic FSK Hotel building— 31 W. Patrick street in downtown historic Frederick, MD. For tickets call the box office at (301) 694-4744 or purchase them online.
