Living With Henry is not about living with a roommate or living with a spouse. It’s about living with HIV. So if this issue has any personal impact on you, or you’re just affected by sad topics, pack your tissues.
It’s also a musical, in a very classic musical style. I personally find people breaking from dialogue into dramatic song very distancing so for me those numbers gave my eyes a chance to dry. My friend who was with me, who has excellent taste and does not find such things distracting, was more of a mess than I. So if you like dramatic musical theatre, bring even more tissues.
This isn’t to say the show is not without its humour. There is a tango bathhouse number that is not to be missed. Not only is it hilarious but it showcases some excellent dancing.
This show is also important. So many HIV/AIDS related art in existence is about death. It’s not the 90’s anymore and HIV is now a chronic condition, not a death sentence. A show that frames it as such is much needed.
I suggest getting there early so you can get a seat in the middle section. We were off to the side and it was hard to hear the dialogue/lyrics when the actors were facing the other direction, due solely to the acoustics of the venue.
The music is great, especially if you like classic musical theatre. The performances are good, especially the two leads. Playing a character that is HIV must be both choice and challenging and Dale Miller pulls it off in a manner that is creepy yet endearing. Yes, I said endearing. Watch the show and see what I mean.
Details
– Living With Henry plays at Venue 6 George Ignatieff Theatre, 15 Devonshire Place.
… one thing i strongly believe in when it comes to art, is a work of art can never be better than the person that creates it. a person that has not gone through the experience they want to portray with words, or paint or music is just not going to get it right. … so, here i am strongly tempted to believe that the emotional power of “living with henry” derives in large part because its writer, christopher wilson, has gone through an experience like this. and it’s immensely commendable — at least i think it is — that he’s able to not only communicate this but make it theatrical, with lighter moments, and take the subjective into a more accessible realm of storytelling.
… as for the importance of the play, i agree that it’s great aids is now treatable than ever, but it’s still an explosive problem in india, china, russia and parts of africa. to many people, because the treatment is just not funded, aids still is a death sentence.