Larry Kramer’s play, The Normal Heart is largely based on his own experiences between 1981 and 1984 where he was in the forefront of men trying to understand why gay men were dying of skin lesions and pulmonary disorders.  Ben Daniels plays Ned Weeks loosely based on Kramer himself.  

We here in the UK remember Larry Kramer as the screenwriter for the film of DH Lawrence’s Women in Love.  He died of pneumonia in May 2020. 

Liz Carr plays Dr Emma Brookner, based on Dr. Linda Laubenstein of New York University Center who was a victim of polio and also in a wheelchair.   She matter of factly tells her young male, gay patients what is wrong with them, often presenting a prognosis as to how long they have got to live.  In a diagnostic meeting with Ned Weeks she urges the gay community to give up sex, which tends to fall on stony ears. 

The play opens with a silent funereal tribute with the whole cast gathered around a flame in a brazier.  As the brazier is raised to the flies, a furious party ensues with disco music.  In Scene 1 in July 1981 we see Craig Donner (Elander Moore) terrified at his diagnosis.  Craig Donner is barely out of his teens and he is frightened and shaking with emotion.  An older man David (Richard Cant) has dark lesions on his face. 

Brookner is trying to find out who the gay leaders are and get them to raise awareness and campaign for more testing, research and activism.  Ned Weeks will become an activist and become well known for his prickly persistence when faced with those unwilling to help.  His first call is to the New York Times where Felix Turner (Dino Fetscher) is an arts editor and a closet gay man.  Ned campaigns to raise support from his brother Ben Weeks (Robert Bowman) a high powered board member of a powerful firm of New York attorneys.