Review: The Normal Heart

“Act up. Fight Back. Fight Aids.” They urged us on social media. They crafted a rousing trailer showing video clips from the 1980s. They reminded us that the situation of the play was real, relevant and not that distant. They organized an audience talk-back session after the Wednesday night performance to foster discussion and further educate us on how HIV/AIDS is still wreaking havoc on the lives of many. The production team and cast of Larry Kramer’s “The Normal Heart” (directed by Caroline Christie and Frazer Hadfield) said “Get Angry.” And I did. As did all of those of us lucky enough to see what was perhaps the most poignant and gripping piece of theatre this year has seen.

I should clarify that when I say angry I mean that I came away with a greater appreciation of the justified outrage of the LGBT community for the lack of response and blatant ignoring/ demonizing of the “gay virus.” This anger turned into a desire to want to do SOMETHING, to FIGHT as Ned Weeks, the protagonist of the Normal Heart, demands of us. The talk-back so brilliantly illustrated why, even today, in 2015, we still need to FIGHT. In terms of this being, as the production team stated, a piece of activism, it succeeded. In terms of making the audience feel things, it succeeded. Hence, why I mention my own feelings whereas perhaps in other reviews I would avoid doing so.

The purposefully stark and minimalist set provided a great backdrop for the action. Light colored walls and floor combined with skillful lighting changes made scene changes from headquarters to law office to apartment to a doctor’s examining room seem effortless. An array of dimly shining light bulbs hanging from the ceiling finished the setting, with the two that hung before the curtain after it closed on the heart wrenching scene between Ned and his lover Felix when we learn that he (Felix) has contracted the disease, seemingly adding an extra level of meaning. Costumes deftly assisted with reminding us of the time frame we were in – with the cast rocking various forms of sometimes fabulous and sometimes garish 80s clothing. Perhaps most gripping (albeit, initially confusing as font was small and slightly difficult to see) was the list of names of (either the infected or the dead?) that continued to grow and expand throughout the performance, ending with the wall completely covered.

The play both began and ended in the office of Dr. Emma Brookner, played by the extraordinarily talented Cara Mahoney who, in addition to playing her character with an effortless naturalism, skillfully maneuvered and acted in a motorized wheelchair. The entirety of the cast of 9 delivered beautiful, moving, and intense performances. Special mention must be given to one of the most realistic and heart shattering mental breakdowns I have seen portrayed on stage by Chris Walker playing Mickey Marcus who is torn because he helped furthered the cause of liberating the gay community  and thus somewhat blames himself for the spread of the disease. Will Qua brought a much needed levity with his sweet and (at the appropriate times) hilarious character Tommy Boatwright. The standout performances though, as you might expect, were from our protagonist and his lover. Jared Liebmiller and Tom Giles’s stage chemistry was intense, electrifying, and ultimately gut wrenching. When Felix (Giles) contracts the disease and we witness the effect it has on the pair, a great many tears were shed. Giles adeptly demonstrated the shift of his charming and self-assured Felix from strong and viable to horrifically weak and ill. His amazing command of physicality is worth noting, especially when he dragged his diseased wracked body across the stage in one particularly memorable scene. Liebmiller’s Ned was angry and perhaps a little bit of a bully, but with his skillful performance and knack for immediately winning an audience over, we were on his side from the get go wanting to get up on stage and shout with him. In short, he was brilliant.

All those involved with “The Normal Heart” should be enormously commended for the dexterity with which they handled such a difficult and emotionally charged play. This was one of the most professional pieces of student theatre I have seen in my time at St Andrews. Congratulations to the cast and crew for not only providing us with a beautiful performance, but also for reminding us why “The Normal Heart” is still relevant today. “Act up. Fight Back. Fight Aids.”

Photgraphy by Jess Broughton and Katie Brennan