Angels in America

[SPD444]

Just back from watching Angels in America at the National. We saw both plays on the same day, the first started at 1pm finishing at 4pm and the second from 7pm till 11 pm. Whilst the subject matter is awful, AIDS, it has been done with much humour and amazing performances from the company, how does anyone remember over 7 hours of dialogue?

 

The whole run is sold out but they have regular lotteries for tickets but both parts are being shown at cinemas live on different days. If you get the chance go and see it, it is a hard watch with no punches pulled but the production directed by Marianne Elliott ( War Horse and Dog in the night time) is worth the effort.

 

Just Fantastic.

 

 

[Geoff]

6 hours ago, SPD444 said:

Just Fantastic.

 

SPD, what are the accents like? I know some of the cast are native to the US but what about the others?

 

There seems to be agreement among critics not to draw attention to how badly many British actors do American accents (almost as if it is understood that this is really very hard so one shouldn't embarrass anyone). Yet it is not impossible: a major American TV series The Affair currently has two British actors in the leads (playing Americans) and they pass as locals.

 

For a current example - as bad as I am sure Angels In America is good - try Paul Auster's City Of Glass, or rather don't (it's pretty awful, I saw it this week and wish I hadn't). Stunning visuals but, oh my goodness, the accents. Cast of five Brits doing a range of dreadful American accents (including an unconvincing Philip Marlowe / Humphrey Bogart narration). And as if that isn't enough, early on a character is introduced by the name of...Paul Auster. PoMo alert! 

Edited May 17, 2017 by Geoff