'An extraordinary hour': the explosive play re-staging the biggest TV clash of the Aids era
A New York production brings Larry Kramer and Anthony Fauci’s 1993 debate to life in a masterclass of controlled fury
TL;DR
- The play 'Kramer/Fauci' is based on a 1993 C-Span television appearance featuring Aids activist Larry Kramer and Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
- The debate centered on the US government's response to the Aids crisis, with Kramer advocating for more radical action and Fauci defending institutional processes.
- Director Daniel Fish transforms the transcript into a theatrical piece, using heightened performance, costumes, and props to explore the complex relationship between Kramer and Fauci.
- The production emphasizes the power of loud argument coupled with listening, drawing parallels to contemporary public discourse.
- Actors Thomas Jay Ryan as Kramer and Will Brill as Fauci capture the essence of their real-life counterparts, showcasing Kramer's rhetorical skill and Fauci's controlled poise.