Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane and Marianne Elliott on "Angles in America" A Tremendous Times Talks

The Times Talks series had an A+ trio of speakers:  actors Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane and the director for "Angels in America".  The dynamo trio were discussing the Pulitzer Prize winning play in which Garfield portrays Prior, a young man dying of AIDS & Lane (as Roy Cohen) under the direction of Marianne Elliot.  Ms. Elliot is the Tony & Olivier winning director for "Curious Incident of the Dog...," "War Horse," "Saint Joan."  Her next project for the fall of this year is directing  a revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Company."  Garfield & Lane both garner numerous acting awards.  Lane was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame ('08).  Garfield won the Oscar for "Hacksaw Ridge".  All three on the panel were thoughtful, cogent, clever and engaging.  I  fault 2 things; it was too short and the moderator, Philip Galanes turned the talk too much towards himself.  Galanes writes the Social Q's and Table for the NYT.  He needed to mind his own Ps&Qs and allow for the prestigious panel to hold court.  It was a shameful waste of time his bemoaning  how frightened he was by the Broadway production ('91); "terrified for my life as a gay man."  Elliot didn't continent fools.  Her prickly response to Galanes' insulting question "How CAN you manage the play so as to be less confusing for the audiences." "Tell me what was confusing for you?"  Elliot explained to this dolt it's a complex layered play, it's vastly ambitious, represents a historic epoch and told with fantastical storytelling.  All three lauded the genius of Kushner's writing.  They concurred this play as one of their most demanding & rewarding theatrical experiences.  Lane was charming, humorous &  lovable.  He spoke of his approach to assuming the role of Roy Cohen, his reluctance and gratitude at having the opportunity to be part of this monumental theatrical epic and gargantuan collaboration. Garfield echoed Lanes' comments and said, "This is the most challenging and rewarding work {he} would aspire to tackle again."  Galanes gave keen insights into her methods; "trying and then failing and then trying again and trying to fail less."  She addressed the aesthetic she wanted from the "Angel," a tattered, nightmarish apparition.  I learned Kushner's play stemmed from his dream which he transcribed into a poem.  He has retained the poem and never released it.  It became the catalysis for the play.  The panel was rankled by a Q&A from the audience (as was I) to sum up the play's meaning to them in 3 words.  Lane said it was  impossible for him, Elliot shook her head with dismissal and Garfield answered with one word, "collaboration."  One word to describe the evening, stupendous.  It would have perfect less this moderator.  Lane graciously stopped him from cutting off the last question "Wait, let's hear from this lovely lady."