Presented by: State Theatre Company South Australia
Reviewed: 4 October 2022
An audience that rises to its feet, almost to a man, in a surge of emotional response to something that stirs them into action is testament to a good piece of theatre… sorry I take that back, a brilliant piece of theatre, by an immensely talented cast and a writer with a very clear message. Act Up!
For those of us who lived through the 80’s, this play has resonances that still leave us staggered by the amount of personal loss we, and our friends, had to endure before anyone started to take notice. Larry Kramer allows us into the free and open world, created and fought for during the seventies, at the moment a single voice questioned what the continuing behaviour of the gay community risked if it didn’t hold its free and wild sexual freedom in check.
From the moment AJ Pate bops onto the stage in true 1980’s disco fashion we are set up for this ride through 1980’s New York. We are introduced to a group of people in crisis as it morphs seamlessly into the waiting room of Dr Emma Brookner, played with strength, conviction and brutal honesty by Emma Jones, who is treating an ever increasing number of gay men for a mystery illness. We immediately sense the urgency this play conveys. It is an unrelenting and clear reminder that we need to be constantly vigilant in our fight against HIV Aids. Jones and Mitchell Butel as Ned Weeks, grab the steering wheel, put the car into top gear, and no-one takes their foot off the accelerator for a couple of hours.
There really isn’t a weak link in this cast. They tell the story, warts and all, and don’t pull any punches. That doesn’t mean there are no light moments. In fact, Dean Bryant cleverly crafts the lighter moments in Kramer’s beautifully constructed text, giving us time to recover before the next onslaught. The drive that Butel instills into his character leaves everyone in the play in the wake of his breathless anger, infusing the rest of the cast with a drive that puts a wedge between the idea of activation and its success. Mark Saturno brought a solid and strong presence in the form of Ben Weeks, Ned’s straight, and oh so corporate, brother Ben, a character that demanded a huge emotional range that was crafted beautifully. Evan Lever’s Mikey Marcus is at first glance a lightweight man who won’t speak out for fear of losing his job. His wonderfully explosive outburst in the second half of the play left both him and the audience breathless. Matt Hyde is challenged with a huge emotional range in the piece, and his performance is strong, immovable and dogmatic, until he reveals that under it all he is as frightened and lonely as the rest of them. His monologue in the second half was one of the many highlights, a finely crafted performance. Anthony Nicola as Tommy Boatright breathes life and love into his character, giving us a performance full of love and care with some extraordinary moments of compassion. Michael Griffiths slips seamlessly into his supporting roles and plays a mean piano, and the cello of Clara Gillam Grant underpinned every emotional transaction and integrated into the action of the play and scene changes so cleverly you were hardly aware it was driving the emotional currency of the work.
The extraordinary chemistry between Ainsley Melham as Felix Turner and Mitchell Butel as Ned Weeks expands as it develops through Kramer’s clever construction. The truth, consideration and trust these two actors brought to these roles was captivating. Their relationship, and the journey they undertook, was engaging, uplifting and downright heartbreaking. The poignant, devastating end to the play makes the point again that we cannot, and should not, be silenced.
The strong and politically relevant monologues Kramer has integrated into the piece are brilliant, clever and challenging (for the actor and the audience) Emma Jones, Evan Lever, Matt Hyde, Mitchell Butel and Ainsley Melham. Outstanding work. That is not to neglect the strong and moving work from the rest of this talented ensemble.
Dean Bryant’s direction of this 1980’s piece of classic theatre is strong, honest and exceptionally well cast. It is the mark of a good ensemble that there isn’t a wasted moment. Even the scene changes tell a story, and the witnesses that blend into the shadows of every scene bring an element of scrutiny to the piece that gives it an unsettling edge. Jeremy Allan’s design is clever and subtle, bringing together the ideas of a classical and contemporary space. From the Greek style frieze, the peeling paintwork, the wannabe Doric columns and the fading marble it was evocative and versatile, moving from hospital waiting room, to doctor’s office, to lawyer’s office to basement, to New York Loft apartment. Nigel Leving’s lighting is, as always, subtle and in tune with the emotional and physical requirements of the play. Hilary Kleinig’s music added warmth and motivation to the work, and the singing was incisive and integrated into action. And the drag queen at the beginning of the second act: genius.
In closing. In 1985 Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart premiered at the Public Theatre in New York. On March 10th 1987, Kramer called for the formation of an AIDS activist group in at a speech at Lesbian and Gay Community Centre in Manhattan. On March 12th 1987, 300 people turned up for the establishment of Act Up – The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power – a non-partisan group that was formed to undertake non-violent direct action to end the AIDS crisis.
In July 1981 there were reports of a rare cancer seen in 41 homosexual men.
At the end of 2021 there were estimated to be between 33.0 million and 43.8 million people living with HIV. In 2021 between 1.5 and 2 Million people became newly infected with HIV. At the end of December 2021 28.7 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy (up 7.8 million from 2010).
There is currently no vaccine available that will prevent or treat HIV, though scientists are working to develop one. Most HIV/Aids patients can now be treated with drugs, but there is no cure.
There is still a huge need for us to remain vigilant and Act Up.
Reviewed by: Adrian Barnes
Photo Credit: Matt Byrne
Venue: Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: 30 September – 15 October
Duration: 2 hours 30 mins (inc interval)
Tickets: From $60
Bookings: https://my.statetheatrecompany.com.au/overview/the-normal-heart
Content: Coarse language and adult themes
Additional Performance Information:
ACCESS PERFORMANCES
Audio Described Performances and Pre-Show Briefing:
Saturday 8 October, 1pm (briefing), 2pm (performance)
Monday 10 October, 5.30pm (briefing), 6.30pm (performance with post-show Q and A)
Captioned Performances:
11.00am, Wednesday 12 October
6.30pm, Wednesday 12 October
Visit statetheatrecompany.com.au/access for more information on State Theatre Company’s Access Program.
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