Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Based on their program notes, it seems that the directors of both current Angels productions were plagued by questions about the timeliness of putting on such a major work. “Why now?” they were asked--a stupid question no one would think to ask of, say, The Odd Couple. The reason to produce Angels in America now is the same reason it was produced with so much success in the early ’90s: It’s a good play. Even if the height of the AIDS crisis has passed, the themes of love, loyalty, and politics ring as true now as they ever did. So does Absurd Reality Theatre succeed with the play’s gravitas? By and large they do. For a small company, the show’s technical elements are especially inventive. Many of director Maridee Slater’s aesthetic decisions make the show sparkle, and the background music, designed by Shane Regan, complements the mood perfectly. The ensemble opens a bit stiffly, but they relax into the rhythm of the script during the first act. Carter J. Davis is particularly convincing as Louis, delivering pages of political drivel with sincerity and strong comic timing. Also talented is Jeff Orton as Prior, slowly falling apart as disease takes over. BRENT ARONOWITZ 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Aug. 9.
Thursdays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: July 24. Continues through Aug. 9, 2008