Lee Mayer
BA English with Creative Writing, Goldsmiths, University of London
I bought my copy of Angels in America at the National Theatre Bookshop shortly after I moved to London. While the play is set in New York rather than London, the plot now feels inextricably linked with my memories of that sunny day on the South Bank, my anxieties about leaving my family home, and my excitement about the beginning of university. This is what I love about reading: the experience of literature is dependent on the reader. Literature is not just a writer throwing words on a page and being done with it, because then it is the reader’s job to become involved and make the text their own.
Angels in America is a work that I turn to again and again. In particular, I love how Kushner balances fantastical and otherworldly imagery with political commentary. It is a play that feels sublime in its breadth and imagination. As a creative writing student, whenever I feel bored with my work, I like to turn to writers like Kushner as a reminder of beautiful innovation. My hope is that I will one day get to see a staged production of Angels in America.
