"Angels in America" is just as relevant — and powerful — today

Political corruption, deadly plague, spiritual uncertainty and pursuit of love: These are the subjects Tony Kushner took on in his two-part, early-'90s hit "Angels in America." Absurd Reality Theatre's revival of Part 1, "Millennium Approaches," proves that the play's distress signals and laugh lines are as pertinent today as they were then.

The play presents two troubled couples. In one, a Valium-addicted Mormon wife realizes her husband is a closeted gay person. In the other, a formerly sensitive Jewish man abandons his AIDS-infected lover.

Meanwhile, Roy Cohn, master of greed, mendacity, hypocrisy and self-loathing, is confronted by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg. And a sweet nurse, an old-world rabbi and confused mother try to make sense out of life when traditional values seem to have been lost, and personal tragedies play out on a degraded national landscape.

Does it sound like too much for one play? Well, it is. This production runs two hours and 45 minutes. That's shorter than the original, but there are still some overlong scenes as well as some superfluous ones.

That said, you won't find another work that probes the psyche of contemporary America so deeply, and this production is a really good one.

Director Maridee Slater stages the drama with minimal props and good sound and lighting by Shane Regan and David Mackie. This setting demands top performances from the actors, and mostly it works well.

What doesn't work is turning Harper (Melissa Fenwick) into a somnambulist rather than a Valium-numbed, unhappy housewife. And it's a shame that Belize (Shawn Vines) can't always be heard.

Outstanding among the cast is Chris MacDonald as Roy Cohn. The stage reeks with his stench as he manipulates, corrupts and overpowers. Also excellent are Jeff Orton, Carter J. Davis and Jalyn Green as the male members of the two couples. Their emotional pain is palpable.

Kushner provides a wicked mix of humor and pathos in a drama you won't soon forget.

Nancy Worssam: nworssam@earthlink.net