There are many things that I love in this world, but nothing more than theatre. In some ways, I believe drama is stitched into my very DNA – it’s that important to me. I’ve been performing for as long as I can remember, and as I’ve grown up, I’ve shaped my world so that it might mold me into an actor. Collecting and reading plays is my favorite pastime, and being up on stage is the only place I truly feel myself.
Sometimes I get very disillusioned with the whole thing. For as much as it can be my life source, theatre is difficult and fickle and almost always heartbreaking. But every now and again, I am exposed to something that reminds me why I love it so much, whether it’s a Shakespeare show or a magical musical. This time, it was The Inheritance.
The Inheritance can’t be explained without the word “epic”. It is large and loud and expansive and bombastic, while maintaining a quiet complexity. It is vivid and technicolor and real and raw, and never strays from Truth. It is exactly what is needed, right now, but it feels as though it was years in the making.
It is split into two parts, each existing as somewhat of their own play, but fitting together so seamlessly. The play is long and taxing and intense, but each moment of the world created on stage is so effortlessly thought out, that it feels like a window into something public, private and everything in-between.
I had the privilege of seeing Part One of the show on the night of its final dress rehearsal. Being an actor and getting to see such a masterpiece unfold in front of my eyes was a fever dream, especially because it wasn’t even available to the general public. I got to see it again while it was in previews. I just saw Part Two last Thursday, and I am still reeling from it all.
This show had much success in England, where it first premiered. It’s funny to think it existed anywhere else besides New York City, because the location is just as much a character as all of the people. Two of the awards received at the Olivier’s (think the British equivalent of the Tony’s) were Best New Play and Best Director for Stephen Daldry. You can see exactly why the minute the play starts.
I don’t want to get too much into plot, so as to not give anything away. I will say that it’s a modern adaptation of E.M. Forster’s Howards End. It’s loose at times, with characters who weave themselves into the delicate balance of this world. It’s also somewhat closer to Forster’s Maurice, in which the author took the readers to his own private life, and wrote a novel about a homosexual couple.
The Cast of The Inheritance
The Inheritance looks at gay men and their past, their present and what their future might be. I have seen and read many plays about the AIDS Crisis, and how it ripped an entire generation of men from our lives. And those plays all touch me, drawing out tears and sadness for the group of souls we lost. But this show inspects the epidemic from today’s lens, and how everything eventually becomes a past. It places you in the most traumatic of moments and forces you to look back and confront the pain and the heartbreak and the beauty of life. The comedic moments are electric, too. This show deals in balance, and shows how life can be gritty and beautiful, funny and horrible, and all of that is okay.
At the heart of this show is the writing. Matthew Lopez took something important and iconic and made it current – gave it the beating heart of today’s ludicrousness. The sharp dialogue, mixed with the somber music stylings of Paul Englishby and the direction of Daldry, makes this a whirlwind, destructive and powerful in all the best ways.
I don’t even know what to say about the acting. I have studied acting for a little while now, and I have seen more theatre than a 22 year old probably should, but to me this was truth personified. Each person on stage is heart rending. Carson McCalley and Dylan Frederick beautifully carry out the past of Walter and Henry’s relationship. Frederick’s moment as a young boyfriend/artist is also astoundingly funny. Arturo Luís Soria and Darryl Gene Daughtry Jr.’s turn as “the Jasons” killed me. They are loving and perfection as a unit, and I could have easily watched a “Jasons” spin-off. Jordan Barbour cuts you to the core with his comedic prowess and the way that he speaks the truth so effortlessly. I love Tristan and want the best life for him. Jonathan Burke and Kyle Harris’ exuberance and presence as Henry’s sons was brilliant. Burke’s last moment in Part One had me spellbound, and Harris’ wittiness plays out wonderfully as Jasper. Lois Smith is absolutely worth the wait, and captured my heart. These were the actors who joined the production stateside, and all were incredible additions.
Kyle Soller and John Benjamin Hickey
Then, we have the five transferred actors, who blew me away at every turn. First, John Benjamin Hickey as Henry Wilcox. There’s something deeply alluring about the cold nature of Wilcox. Hickey is charming and subtle and I’m still thinking about Wilcox and his sons’ passion for Peter Luger’s Steakhouse. We have Samuel Levine, perfectly walking the line between his two characters; Adam and Leo. Adam is smarmy, manipulative, precocious, and sweet. How someone so effortlessly blends all of this into one character still has me reeling. Then we have Leo, who needs the biggest of hugs. I won’t give away Leo’s character, but he has such a beautiful character arc, and it made me cry in so many ways. Another master of double characters is Paul Hilton. His work as Morgan is the backbone of this show, lending the perspective of E.M. Forster to this work. He is wise and troubled and loving and gives the show such an interesting rhythm that I cannot entirely explain. His work as Walter is haunting and chilling and supremely good. Gorgeous and ethereal, even. He is such a lovable actor and presents masterful work.
Samuel Levine and Andrew Burnap
Andrew Burnap’s work as Toby Darling is intoxicating. The audience goes on a complete rollercoaster ride with this character, and he is perhaps the messiest of the bunch. But every move that he made, every line that he spoke, I was at the edge of my seat. This is the kind of role that makes you as an actor. You get the most out of it because this character, as broken as he might be, is a supernova. Burnap made me want to get up and dance, and then break down and cry, in the span of just 10 minutes. He breathed life, struggle and vulnerability into a character that we think we know. It’s a glorious turn, and I am so excited to see what is next for Andrew.
Lastly, we have Kyle Soller. I don’t even know what to say about his work as Eric Glass. He won the Olivier for his take on this character, and it is immensely easy to see why. Soller is a true master of the craft, and as hokey as that sounds, that’s the best way to put it. He is revolutionary on stage, from the way his knees knock to his inhale of breath. Everyone in the audience can connect to Eric Glass, and one cannot help but love him, even when everything seems to be out of place for the man. He is our hero, and he’s not perfect, but that doesn’t matter. He’s trying his best.
If you can’t tell, I really loved this play. It’s going to appeal to a certain crowd. It might not be the most commercially successful or outstanding play that has graced a Broadway stage, but my goodness, it is important. After spending more than 6 hours growing and learning with complicated, delicious, disturbing human beings, you feel your heart break and heal, over and over again. This play is a hurricane; it is messy and brilliant and breathtaking in all of its glory. How does one recover from all of that?
