Another View of ‘Angels’

Calendar has devoted extensive space to the New York opening of “Angels in America.” Front-page Calendar stories on May 5 and May 6 is prominence out of proportion to the significance or the worthiness of the play (“Angels’ on Broadway: Good Trip From L.A.”; “How Well Did ‘Angels’ Fly on Opening Night?”).

Linda Winer and Patrick Pacheco had somewhat different interpretations. Winer heard boos at the end, but Pacheco only observed a standing ovation. Perhaps the ovation drowned out the boos!

Neither writer mentioned how many ticket-holders walked out in disgust during the intermissions, as they did in Los Angeles, and therefore were not there to ovate or boo at the final curtain. Did it occur to Winer that the boos were deserved? She suggested that the boos came from a “mainstream Broadway audience” that was shocked. It might have occurred to her that the boos came from those with more couth and refinement who resented the filth presented on stage.

BERNARD G. RAMOS, Los Angeles