“Angels in America”

Sunday night at 8 on HBO

(four stars)

IT’S almost impossible to write about the first part of HBO’s incredible, six-hour production of “Angels In America,” the play that captured Broadway and a slew of Tonys a decade ago.

If you remember what it was like the first night that “Roots” aired, you’ll have an idea of the kind of experience in store.

The Mike Nichols-directed miniseries is a once in a lifetime TV experience – although you’ll be able to experience it many times: They’re airing Part One and Two in three-hour blocks – and as separate one-hour blocks, as well.

The story takes place in the ’80’s just as AIDS was about to explode and just before it became a disease that defined a generation of gay men.

It begins at a funeral – the funeral of Louis’ (Ben Shenkman) grandfather. The ancient rabbi at the funeral gives one of the best eulogies I’ve ever heard even though he begins by saying of the dead man, “I didn’t know this woman.”

I thought that they must have hired a real rabbi, because they couldn’t have gotten an actor this good.

I was wrong. I was floored to find out who was under hiding under that makeup. When you see the credits at the end, I guarantee you’ll fall off the couch.

Anyway, Louis finds out right after the funeral that his lover, Prior Walter (Justin Kirk), has Karposi’s Sarcoma which, at that time, was known only as a rare form of cancer that seemed to be hitting gay men in disproportionate numbers.

Across town, Roy Cohn (Al Pacino), the hateful wheeler-dealer lawyer who denied his homosexuality until the last breath he drew from AIDS, is seducing a young lawyer, Joe Pitt (Patrick Wilson), into leaving his job to go to work for the Justice Department.

The young lawyer, meantime, is dealing with a near-disaster of his own. His wife, Harper (Mary-Louise Parker) is unhappily hallucinating at home. Her current imaginary friend? Mr. Lies, an ’80’s disco travel agent, played gleefully by Jeffrey Wright.

And here’s the rub: Like a play, many of the actors play several roles. Wright, for example, also plays Belize, Emma Thompson plays an angel and a mom, Meryl Streep has at least two parts.

And there’s not a clunker in the bunch. Even Al Pacino – at least in Part One – doesn’t dish up the ham. Don’t miss a minute.