A Review of Happier Year Productions’ Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Anyone who has ever discussed Angels in America with me will know that although I have never seen the famed performance by Andrew Garfield, I did study it for Prelims and was not the biggest fan. With this in mind, it was curiosity and perhaps the slightest degree of trepidation that I entered The Playhouse on Thursday night. The stalls were filled with familiar faces from across the Oxford drama scene and it was with baited breath that we waited as a drum beat started and the curtain began to rise.

One thing which is undeniable about this performance is the talent being displayed upon that stage. The cast tackled an emotionally fraught script with such an incredible adeptness, engaging with the nuances of the characters to create something that was nothing short of artistry. Taking on the role of Prior is Daniel McNamee whose portrayal is one of immense sensitivity that captures both the intensity of everything that the character goes through whilst also embodying a deadness behind the eyes of someone who has lost hope. I am sure that some will argue that the ghost of Garfield was present upon the stage, but for me it was a beautifully raw performance that could not have been improved upon. Opposite this established OUDS actor was Will Shackleton, whose past year has been spent going from strength to strength to reach a performance that is undoubtedly his best yet. Louis’ behaviour certainly does not make him a likeable character, yet Shackleton’s scenes were a pleasure to witness. Likewise, Grace Gordon’s Harper was excellent, having something of Ophelia about her movements and giggles in her Valium altered state. In a perfect contrast to the energy of Harper, Aravind Ravi’s Joe Pitt is quiet and subtle in his movement and behaviour. I will not use up my entire word count raving about the actors, but a quick shout
out for Immanuel Smith’s Roy Cohn and Nic Rackow are certainly necessary; all of Rackow’s interactions with Shackleton being particular striking and well handled.

Ultimately this is a play about lonely people surrounded by equally lonely people, while all of them grasp for some sense of connection. With the stage always being split into two, the parallels of the relationships playing out were clear to see. While the light was not on a particular group, they would continue to move in the dark, their lives not ceasing simply because they were no longer lit. It was interesting and certainly effective to watch Prior and Louis curling up with a book while Harper and Joe rowed, but unfortunately I was sometimes drawn to watching the background scene instead! My own bad habits as an audience member aside, the choreography of the entire play was excellent – from the awareness of the stage and where the boundary lines between stories were to the stunning Red Shoes inspired dance between Prior and Louis towards the end. In fact, this haunting dance was by far my favourite moment of the entire play. The music throughout the production was incredibly well thought through, yet unfortunately in some places a little too loud for the cast to be heard.

The set was an interesting choice, with the shards being neither the New York skyline nor anything in particular. It allowed for scene changes to be incredibly simple and gave the stage an air of modernism. A quick note here is the use of actors as stage hands was an excellent choice. But of course, the question that everyone wants answered is how is the angel itself handled? The answer: very well. With a mixture of eerie layered voice overs, wing beats, flashing lights and beautiful fabric wings at the very end. Suffice to say it was a powerful depiction of the unseen creature and hopefully a surprising unveiling for audiences.

Overall, this production was an excellently thought through and executed rendition of a script that is poignant and important to so many people. The lead actors were exceptional, each of them rising to the challenge with a power that must leave them exhausted after every show. Tears run free throughout this emotionally fraught production and the occasional spark of humour in the script is very much needed. There was something incredibly graceful about the show, which was (if not a pleasure to watch due to the subject matter) certainly striking in the best possible way. This was a bold decision for a Playhouse show and it certainly paid off, one hopes that this has widened the imagination of the Oxford drama community and that history is about to crack wide open.

Image gratefully supplied by The Oxford Playhouse