Stray Dog's repertory cycle of Angels in America culminates with Part Two: Perestroika, and it continues to impress. The themes introduced in Part One: Millennium Approaches (you can read about that here) are plumbed even more deeply as the paths of Tony Kushner's cast of characters continue to cross, in the most remarkable ways, providing the connective tissue that makes this play a challenging but incredibly rewarding journey -- for the actors (whom I have the highest respect for), as well as the audience.
When we left off, Prior Walter (again, an amazing Ben Watts), suffering from AIDS and abandoned by his boyfriend Louis Ironson (Aaron Gotzon), is visited by the vision of his fever dreams -- the powerful and splendid Angel of America (a compelling Sarajane Alverson), who tells him that he must "prepare the way", for soon, "the great work begins". This is where we pick up.
This Angel doesn't come with good tidings. She comes with a prophecy for Prior, whether he wants it or not, and a plea for humanity to "stop moving". In an arresting scene spiked with humor, The Angel explains how the migratory tendency of human beings drove God from heaven (on April 18, 1906 -- the date of the devastating San Francisco earthquake), leaving the Council (of Angels) powerless and alone. Angels can't create -- they can only observe, and The Angel of America's mission is to get Prior, and everyone else on her part of the planet, to be still. To halt progress. So hopefully for heaven's sake at least, God will return. Prior tries to make the argument that humans aren't rocks, so for us, migration and change are innate. <-- Major theme going on right there. Movement and progression are inevitable for the earthbound. How we steer it though, is a decision heftily laid on us alone, cause it seems that God has left the building.
