Matthew Lopez has written the two part epic The Inheritance with inspiration from E. M. Forster’s Howard’s End. That novel addressed social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in England at the start of the 20th Century. This play has updated the action to New York City from 2015 to 2018. The story being told is about gay men. The ambition of the writing is staggering.
Fascinatingly, Mr. Forster is a character at the start of this drama. He advises a group that they can use his novel to loosely create their own story and even change the words. This young generation of gay men are fairly critical of him. He wrote Maurice in 1913 about a homosexual relationship. That work was not published until after his death in 1971. The obvious comparison being made is how much more accepting the world is today. The other view is simply cowardice.
Are things truly better? What social conventions have changed? Which still oppress? Eric Glass and Toby Darling are engaged to be married. Toby is writing a play called “Lover Boy.” Eric has befriended an older gay man who lives in their apartment building. Walter Poole has been with his billionaire Republican partner for eons. In a significant nod to Howard’s End, the name Henry Wilcox is used for the wealthy man. These two older men also own a country house which similarly plays a central thematic role as in the novel.
The Inheritance is so boldly conceived that it has attempted a broad update of the 1991 masterwork Angels in America to the present day. Tony Kushner’s play memorably covered the AIDS crisis in the latter stages of the 20th Century. With treatments and preventive options now widely available (to at least those with the means), gay life and culture has moved on from the past. The play celebrates much of that freedom wittily. A sideline about whether camp should be over is winningly funny.
As you might expect, the young are not so free and not so happy as it might first appear. Their gay baggage weighs them down and some much more than others. The familiar and omnipresent family rejection lingers. These are not new revelations. Thoughts of finding one’s own family are a central theme of mainstream topical gay entertainments such as Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Mr. Lopez’s play does, however, shine a bright light on the responsibility question and necessity of effective community building and support.
The direction by Steven Daldry on an impressively spare set (Bob Crowley) is energetic and fast paced. The final scene at the end of the first half is mesmerizing theater and completely unforgettable. The second part is nowhere near as tight as the first half. There are many plot lines to wrap up and the strain is evident as the grinders of a soap opera finale churn.
At that point, a female character is introduced who is played by Lois Smith. That scene is quiet and reflective which nicely guides this story to a satisfying conclusion.
The acting ensemble is stellar across the board. Kyle Soller grounds this whole play in the central role of Eric who realizes that “to fall in love is to make an appointment with heartbreak.” His solar energy sunbeam of a boyfriend, the brilliantly named Toby Darling, is played perfectly by Andrew Burnap. The role is complicated, unsympathetic, joyously alive and emotionally moving at the same time.
John Benjamin Hickey commands all the gravitas needed to portray the conservative Wilcox. Paul Hilton is memorable as the moral compass in the crucial dual role of Walter Poole and Morgan (E. M. Forster). There are many Broadway debuts in this production and everyone succeeds at the highest level. In the dual social climber roles of Adam and Leo, Samuel H. Levine was notably superb.
I elected to see The Inheritance on a single day with a dinner break. That is a long commitment. I highly recommend Part I. Then take a few days off and let that half sink in. There is a lot to process. A little distance may also help Part II seem less clunky and heavy handed. The scope of this production is immense. Serious theater patrons should be impressed. The gay community should be thrilled by the thoughtful discussions. As Mr. Kushner advised years ago, “there is more great work to be done.”