Scottish actor Alan Cumming is lending his support to the National AIDS Trust by fronting a charity gala performance of Angels In America at the Lyric Hammersmith on 4 July. The production, the first major UK revival of Tony Kushner's epic piece in 15 years, plays at the Lyric Hammersmith from 20 June until 22 July. The charity gala features a star-studded audience and the chance to attend pre- and post-show events.
Cumming has forged a successful career on both stage and screen. His most recent West End credit came last autumn when he starred in the revival of Martin Sherman's Bent which was staged at Trafalgar Studio 1. His film roles include Nightcrawler in the second X-Men film, Boris Grishenko in GoldenEye and Lord Rochester in Plunkett & Macleane. Cumming returns to the London stage at the Lyric Hammersmith in September, when he stars in the National Theatre of Scotland's production of The Bacchae.
Speaking about the gala, Cumming said: "I am thrilled to be able to host this fantastic evening, which will not only raise vital funds for the National AIDS Trust, but will also bring attention to the issues that this brilliant and thought-provoking play addresses. Unfortunately HIV-related stigma and discrimination is still with us today, 15 years after this play was written, and I am pleased to help increase public awareness of this issue by supporting this event."
Tony Kushner's Angels In America follows a collection of characters affected by HIV and AIDS in 1980s New York, exploring issues surrounding identity, denial, homophobia, stigma and discrimination. The piece is a play in two parts, Millennium Approaches and Perestroika, which received their London debuts at the National Theatre in January 1992 and November 1993 respectively. In 2003, both parts were filmed as a mini-series starring Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Michael Gambon and Simon Callow.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the gala, visit www.nat.org.uk
MA