Originally published on Talkin’ Broadway.

Tony Kushner’s plays are often mistaken for political statements. Most of his works are set against specific political backdrops, from the Roy Cohn world of Angels in America to the civil rights struggle that sets the stage for Caroline, or Change. Homebody/Kabul is no different, taking place in London and Afghanistan in 1998 during the reign of the Taliban. However, none of these plays are really about politics any more than Star Wars is about space travel. At the heart of Homebody/Kabul is a family drama that happens to play out in a time and a place when connections between men and women, east and west, were particularly strained. The central drama is not about whether the Taliban was right or wrong, nor is it about the place of women in society – it’s about finding connection. And unfortunately, Boston Theatre Works’ production, directed by artistic director Jason Southerland, could use a lesson or two in connecting.  Continue reading →