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lorel773's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Excrement, Addiction, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Grief
kjzilke's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
1.25
This book just really isn’t my cup of tea. It took a lot of willpower to finish it. The saving grace was phenomenal voice acting, but otherwise it was delirious and I didn’t get anything out of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Terminal illness, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
daralexandria's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Terminal illness, Death, and Homophobia
Minor: Antisemitism
marthadude's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolute masterpiece. Is perhaps one of the best fictional characters (along with Belize) and Louis is one of the worst.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Drug use, Grief, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Addiction, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Outing
fieldofhats's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Read for Reading Literature and Queer Lit and Theory.
For some reason I’m finding it difficult to put my feelings in words, so this review won’t be coherent. I loved this play the first time and I loved it even more the second time. This specific cast is utterly brilliant and they really bring the show to life. This whole review will extensive include spoilers.
The theme of religion is probably most prominent, and the queer angel pushing a conservative agenda speaks to the constricting normalcy of modern-day America. I love how that contradiction is mirrored in Joe’s character, who’s slowly coming to terms with his queerness. Joe is very probably my favorite character simply because of his capacity for change, and even though we don’t see him change his politics he did seem willing to. The theme of change is embodied in him most prominently and I love it.
Speaking of interesting characters, I think Roy was a fascinatingly horrible person. He has a worldview that is harsh and selfish, and they each inform each other. The harshness, I think, comes from his upbringing; on page 59 he says, “Sometimes a father’s love has to be very, very hard, unfair even, cold to make his son grow strong in a world like this. This isn’t a good world.” It seems that he built a perception of the world through how his father treated him, and he took cues from his father’s selfish behaviors. He does basically whatever he pleases and finds ways to bend life to his will. When the consequences finally catch up to him, though, he panics and tries desperately to create a fallout plan.
This especially interests me when it comes to his sexuality since he refuses to associate himself with other gay people. Homosexuals don’t fit within his worldview, so he has to find some other way to justify it within himself. Roy and Joe are great foils because they both have the same inner turmoil, but they act on it completely differently. Roy doesn’t want to admit to himself who he is, but he does do as he pleases. He takes life into his own hands and does exactly what he wants to do, then justifies it afterward. Joe refuses to submit to his desires and suffers all the more for it.
My favorite minor character is Belize because of his nuanced view of gender, sexuality, and race. In many ways he grounds the story in a certain reality; Prior is sick, bedridden, and stir-crazy, and Louis seems to be detached from any reality beyond his own experiences, so Belize gives us a glimpse into the world beyond those characters. My favorite quote of his is when he chastises Louis on page 104 and says, "Justice is simple Democracy is simple. Those things are unambivalent. But love is very hard. And it goes bad for you if you violate the hard law of love," and after Louis says that he's dying, Belize says, "He's dying. You just wish you were."
I also want to briefly talk about Louis and how much he sucks. I think he's an extremely well-written and realistic character, but he's the only character in this show that I actively dislike. Of course Roy isn't a good person, but I think he has much more complexity than Louis. Louis is your typical cis, privileged gay man who talks high and mighty about liberalism but never thinks beyond his own reality. I think that was definitely done on purpose to demonstrate the hypocrisy of gay men like that, so I think that aspect of his character plays a necessary role, though. But on top of that, he leaves Prior. Early on he tells the Rabbi, “I’m afraid of the crimes I may commit.” And then he commits them! He doesn't even struggle very much beforehand. He struggles while he's committing them and after he commits them, but he has very little problem actually committing the crimes. This is also very representational of his false sense of justice; he goes on a whole tirade about how justice isn't black and white simply to justify his own actions. He desperately wants to be seen as a moral person, so he tries to warp justice to fit his actions, instead of the opposite way around. From this perspective, Joe is Louis' foil. Joe constantly tries to fit his actions into what he believes is just.
I also adore Prior, but he doesn’t change all too much, which I think is the point. He has desires, but mostly it’s to live his life the way he wants to. I think that’s why the angel comes to him, which makes the story all the more powerful when he denies heaven’s message.
But yeah, you should definitely read this book. It’s brilliant and beautiful and heart-wrenching.
For some reason I’m finding it difficult to put my feelings in words, so this review won’t be coherent. I loved this play the first time and I loved it even more the second time. This specific cast is utterly brilliant and they really bring the show to life. This whole review will extensive include spoilers.
The theme of religion is probably most prominent, and the queer angel pushing a conservative agenda speaks to the constricting normalcy of modern-day America. I love how that contradiction is mirrored in Joe’s character, who’s slowly coming to terms with his queerness. Joe is very probably my favorite character simply because of his capacity for change, and even though we don’t see him change his politics he did seem willing to. The theme of change is embodied in him most prominently and I love it.
Speaking of interesting characters, I think Roy was a fascinatingly horrible person. He has a worldview that is harsh and selfish, and they each inform each other. The harshness, I think, comes from his upbringing; on page 59 he says, “Sometimes a father’s love has to be very, very hard, unfair even, cold to make his son grow strong in a world like this. This isn’t a good world.” It seems that he built a perception of the world through how his father treated him, and he took cues from his father’s selfish behaviors. He does basically whatever he pleases and finds ways to bend life to his will. When the consequences finally catch up to him, though, he panics and tries desperately to create a fallout plan.
This especially interests me when it comes to his sexuality since he refuses to associate himself with other gay people. Homosexuals don’t fit within his worldview, so he has to find some other way to justify it within himself. Roy and Joe are great foils because they both have the same inner turmoil, but they act on it completely differently. Roy doesn’t want to admit to himself who he is, but he does do as he pleases. He takes life into his own hands and does exactly what he wants to do, then justifies it afterward. Joe refuses to submit to his desires and suffers all the more for it.
My favorite minor character is Belize because of his nuanced view of gender, sexuality, and race. In many ways he grounds the story in a certain reality; Prior is sick, bedridden, and stir-crazy, and Louis seems to be detached from any reality beyond his own experiences, so Belize gives us a glimpse into the world beyond those characters. My favorite quote of his is when he chastises Louis on page 104 and says, "Justice is simple Democracy is simple. Those things are unambivalent. But love is very hard. And it goes bad for you if you violate the hard law of love," and after Louis says that he's dying, Belize says, "He's dying. You just wish you were."
I also want to briefly talk about Louis and how much he sucks. I think he's an extremely well-written and realistic character, but he's the only character in this show that I actively dislike. Of course Roy isn't a good person, but I think he has much more complexity than Louis. Louis is your typical cis, privileged gay man who talks high and mighty about liberalism but never thinks beyond his own reality. I think that was definitely done on purpose to demonstrate the hypocrisy of gay men like that, so I think that aspect of his character plays a necessary role, though. But on top of that, he leaves Prior. Early on he tells the Rabbi, “I’m afraid of the crimes I may commit.” And then he commits them! He doesn't even struggle very much beforehand. He struggles while he's committing them and after he commits them, but he has very little problem actually committing the crimes. This is also very representational of his false sense of justice; he goes on a whole tirade about how justice isn't black and white simply to justify his own actions. He desperately wants to be seen as a moral person, so he tries to warp justice to fit his actions, instead of the opposite way around. From this perspective, Joe is Louis' foil. Joe constantly tries to fit his actions into what he believes is just.
I also adore Prior, but he doesn’t change all too much, which I think is the point. He has desires, but mostly it’s to live his life the way he wants to. I think that’s why the angel comes to him, which makes the story all the more powerful when he denies heaven’s message.
But yeah, you should definitely read this book. It’s brilliant and beautiful and heart-wrenching.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Death, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Hate crime, and Homophobia
remimicha's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Body horror, Mental illness, Outing, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Infidelity, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Classism, Physical abuse, Vomit, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, and Excrement
shieldbearer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This play absolutely deserved the Pulitzer, my god.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Excrement, Misogyny, Medical content, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Drug use, Chronic illness, Antisemitism, Terminal illness, Death, Religious bigotry, Ableism, and Abandonment
allygator's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is hands-down my favorite play of all time. I love every single thing about it. This is the play that made me fall in love with the art of theatre and inspires the art I create now. Watching Andrew Garfield play Prior Walter completely shifted what I thought acting could be, and to this day is a level of performance I aspire to achieve.
In case you couldn't know, this is not an objective review at all. A lot of who I am now has been made by the impact this play had on me, so I'm incredibly biased when it comes down to reviewing it.
The best thing about this play is how the characters are written. They all are exceptionally flawed, and it makes them feel like people right out of the streets of New York. There are times when reading this when I get so honestly angry at the characters because they're so flawed and make such terrible decisions. It's real and very well written, but it makes me feel a lot of things.
I do think that as incredible as this script is, nothing comes even remotely close to the experience of watching a filmed or live production of it. Seriously, if you can, take two days and watch this. You won't regret it.
In case you couldn't know, this is not an objective review at all. A lot of who I am now has been made by the impact this play had on me, so I'm incredibly biased when it comes down to reviewing it.
The best thing about this play is how the characters are written. They all are exceptionally flawed, and it makes them feel like people right out of the streets of New York. There are times when reading this when I get so honestly angry at the characters because they're so flawed and make such terrible decisions. It's real and very well written, but it makes me feel a lot of things.
I do think that as incredible as this script is, nothing comes even remotely close to the experience of watching a filmed or live production of it. Seriously, if you can, take two days and watch this. You won't regret it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Addiction, Drug use, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Medical content, Racial slurs, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Blood, Excrement, Grief, Violence, Vomit, and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer, Pregnancy, and Dementia
bvrealis's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Homophobia
sherbertwells's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“ANGEL: Greetings, Prophet;
The Great Work begins:
The Messenger has arrived” (125)
The script for this play was borrowed from Ms. Lentz (Coach L) the fabulous tech director at my high school. Thank you so much for supporting me and the rest of the theater!
I first saw this play via National Theater Live when I was thirteen and knew nothing about Reagan or dramaturgy. I remember two things about it:
1) I ate a giant package of red licorice during the first four-hour production, and
2) I thought that Andrew Garfield, the brilliant actor who played Prior Walter, was Panic! at the Disco frontman Brendan Urie.
Now that I’m older and (theoretically) wiser—at least, I know who Andrew Garfield and Ronald Reagan are—and I’m preparing to present my country’s theatrical tradition to an international audience, I picked up the script again.
I didn’t know how much I had missed.
Angels in America, the collective title of Tony Kushner’s two four-hour plays Millennium Approaches and Perestroika, feels like a miracle. It walks a fabulously indulgent tightrope between pretentious tragedy and sexy comedy with a little deus ex machina to throw the funambulists off balance. It uses eight actors to portray the whole 1980s, which according to Kushner was an era of apocalyptic plague, religious fanaticism and political machismo. The two mythical figures that dominate the play, the fantastical Angel of America and real-life litigious giant Roy Cohn, shield themselves from the changing times, while ordinary people like Prior Walter and Harper Pitt find themselves abandoned. Like a flying harness, the fate of the world and the success of the show hangs on the weight of these “little people.”
Perhaps the most controversial character in Angels in America is Louis Ironson, Prior’s (soon-to-be-ex) boyfriend. He’s a neurotic and a rambler, and in the face of the play’s great challenge—caring for Prior, who is dying of AIDS—he bails. He hides behind problematic liberal monologues and the short, macho nickname “Lou,*” which he is called by Joe, Harper’s closeted husband. He's a bit of a biphobe too. It’s ambiguous whether he even learns anything over the course of the plays, and given their length he definitely had time to do so.
Kushner wrote him as a sort of author avatar/self-criticism: both the playwright and the character are queer jewish men born and raised in New York City, so when other characters call out Louis’ bad behavior Kushner can be seen as agkonwledging his own privilege. But Louis is really hard to like on the page. Perhaps he is only rendered sympathetic by a good actor, or a myopic audience member. When I first observed James McArdle in the role, I didn’t mind his long political rambles. Now I agree more with Belize:
BELIZE: “[You’re] up in the air, just like that angel, too far off from earth to pick out the details. Louis and his Big Ideas. Big Ideas are all you love. ‘America’ is what Louis loves...Well I hate America, Louis. I hate this country. It’s just big ideas, and stories, and people dying, and people like you” (228)
I don’t “get” liking America anymore, but that might have more to do with my generation than Tony Kushner’s. Nor do I get the people who treat Angels in America as a godsend. It’s stuffed with big ideas and good lines, sure, but it’s a cracked vessel. It lasts for eight hours because Kushner is having too much fun writing to quit. He’s a little crazy that way.
But what’s more American than that?
*Future essay plan: the name “Lou” as a disguise in Angels in America and Paula Vogel’s play Indecent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Addiction
Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, Grief, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Stalking, Pregnancy, Genocide, Biphobia, and Cancer
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