The Inheritance, part 1

What do we owe those who lived and loved before us? And what responsibility do we bear towards those who come after? These are the questions posed by American playwright Matthew López in The Inheritance, which, in its 2023 production at the Royal Danish Theatre, won a Reumert Award for Best Performance of the Year.

Set in New York in 2016, the story follows Toby as he anxiously awaits the premiere of his newly written play. His partner, Eric, passes the time with their downstairs neighbour Walter, a man in his mid-fifties who vividly recounts the fear and upheaval of 1980s America, when the AIDS epidemic shook the nation and left deep scars on the gay community. When Donald Trump wins the presidential election that autumn, the United States begins to shift once more. The rights of gay men can no longer be taken for granted, and Eric and his friends are forced to confront who they are – and who they wish to become. The questions are many, but perhaps the answers lie in an old house just beyond the city limits …

Inspired by E.M. Forster’s 1910 novel Howards End, López has created a sweeping and deeply moving work that has been compared to Tony Kushner’s landmark modern classic Angels in America.

The Inheritance is a full-day performance lasting approximately eight hours, including a dinner interval. The production may also be experienced across two days.

Recommended from 15 years old