Review: The Normal Heart

The ensemble (photo credit: John Karastamatis)

Fearless

by Christian Baines

@XtianBaines

As a writer and activist, Larry Kramer is nothing if not confronting. By cutting so fearlessly close to personal experience, he creates stories that are as real and enriching as they are unsettling. The Normal Heart has enjoyed something of a renewal in recent years, not just in the form of this superb production from Studio 180, but as a multi-Tony award winning revival staged last year on Broadway. The Studio 180 production returns as one of the most anticipated plays of the current Buddies season.

For the uninitiated, this not an easy night out at the theatre. The frustrations and challenges faced by Ned Weeks (a very thinly disguised manifestation of Kramer), in his attempts to unite and rouse the Gay community to action against AIDS, are lifted from actual events. His efforts fell on the largely deaf ears of both an American establishment that didn’t want to know, and a Gay community that was less terrified of AIDS than it was of being outed, or losing the liberties it had gained up to that point – two stuck wheels not greased by the fact that Weeks/Kramer is, by his own admission, an uncompromising, hot-tempered asshole. 

And Kramer was not afraid to show his ugly side.

It’s no small feat to deliver the part, and Jonathan Wilson more than rises to the challenge, creating a character that embodies not just Ned’s fiery, combative nature, but also his self-deprecating humour and warmth. And if he lets the odd Woody Allenism seep into the portrayal, it only allows us to understand why Ned is so loved, as well as loathed – critical to embracing such a hostile character’s journey. Sarah Orenstein finds a similar balancing act as Dr. Brookner, the tough-love, wheelchair-bound physician, and the one person who doesn’t think Ned can go far enough.

There’s not a weak link in the supporting cast, though Ryan Kelly’s breakdown over the seeming futility of the Gay liberation movement in the face of AIDS is an explosion of rage, helplessness and fear that has to be seen to be believed. Jonathan Seinen is another standout as ‘good Southern boy’ Tommy Boatwright. He comes over a little 9-to-5ish when he’s being flippant, but his sincere moments transform the character with the depth and wisdom crucial to keeping the group sane.

Director Joel Greenberg’s production is pacy and minimalist, letting his sharp ensemble do the heavy work. Only the odd disco numbers that cover blackened transitions break the flow. They feel a little anachronistic in a play that firstly is set post-disco, and secondly, is about a community reeling from the consequences of that era’s hedonism and excess. They’re not consistent either, and when the score takes on a darker, more ambiguous tone, complementing the play’s strengths, the result is far more evocative.

One of the most important pieces of theatre in the Gay canon, The Normal Heart is not to be missed, and this production more than does it justice. If you didn’t see its debut season, see it now! If you did, consider a revisit. This is a play that reveals new levels and truths with each viewing, and is guaranteed to leave not a dry eye in the house every time.

The Normal Heart plays at Buddies in Bad Times until November 18.

A panel discussion will be held after the following two performances:

Sunday, October 28 at 5pm

“We Are Not Criminals: Examining Canada’s Criminalization of HIV Non-Disclosure.”

Sunday November 4 at 5pm

“The Normal Heart: Why Now?”