National Theatre Live: Angels in America (2017)

EGOTs aren’t just for performers named John (Elton John, John Legend, John Gielgud, Jonathan Tunick). Writer Tony Kushner is on the way to getting one since he’s been nominated for an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. In fact, Tony won a Tony (plus a Pulitzer) for the Broadway debut of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Angels in America: Perestroika in 1993. Since then, the two-part drama was captured on camera via National Theatre Live: Angels in America (2017). Under the direction of Marianne Elliott and Bridget Caldwell, this filmed play addresses the AIDS epidemic and its effect on being gay in the United States during the 1980s. As such, we meet the infected Prior Walter (Andrew Garfield) and his boyfriend Louis Ironson (James McArdle) who can’t deal with his lover’s disease. Good thing, there’s an Angel (Amanda Lawrence) to help guide the way. There’s also a Morman woman (Denise Gough) married to a closed homosexual (Russell Tovey). At the risk of repetition, there’s a big time lawyer (Nathan Lane) who too is in the closet. Suffice it to say, this isn’t what you’d consider happy subject matter. However, audiences will be pleased when they see some skin on a certain cast member. Yes, Mr. Tovey proves to be a real scene stealer when he sheds his threads on stage. As such, we get to view Russell’s muscular back and bare ass! Alas, the handsome hunk doesn’t let us see his junk. But our pants still give him a standing ovation!