Point of View

In the play, the point of view is predominantly centered on the contrasting perspectives of the two main protagonists, Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr. Their ideological clash serves as the focal point, drawing the audience into their verbal sparring matches that are rife with wit, charisma, and tension. However, this focus echoes a critical concern raised by the character of James Baldwin, who points out that both men are largely detached from the pressing realities surrounding the political and social issues they discuss. This critique extends beyond the characters, revealing a flaw in the play itself: while it dramatizes the high-stakes clash between Vidal and Buckley, it relegates the viewpoints of other significant figures—such as Baldwin, Tariq Ali, and the protesters outside the Democratic Convention—to the periphery.

Baldwin’s assertion that Vidal and Buckley treat the debates as “an intellectual curiosity...