The Normal Heart - BookWyrm

English language

ISBN:: 978-0-573-61993-9

(1 review)

The Normal Heart is a largely autobiographical play by Larry Kramer. It focuses on the rise of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City between 1981 and 1984, as seen through the eyes of writer/activist Ned Weeks, the gay founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group. The play's title comes from W.H. Auden's "September 1, 1939".After a successful 1985 Off-Broadway production at The Public Theater, the play was staged in Los Angeles and London. It was revived Off-Broadway in 2004, and finally made its Broadway debut in 2011. The play was first published by Plume in the USA, and by Drama Editor Nick Hern for Methuen in the UK to coincide with the 1986 British première at London's Royal Court Theatre. He then reissued it in his own imprint Nick Hern Books in 2011 when first staged on Broadway, and again in a tie-in edition alongside the National Theatre revival …

The Normal Heart is a largely autobiographical play by Larry Kramer. It focuses on the rise of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City between 1981 and 1984, as seen through the eyes of writer/activist Ned Weeks, the gay founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group. The play's title comes from W.H. Auden's "September 1, 1939".After a successful 1985 Off-Broadway production at The Public Theater, the play was staged in Los Angeles and London. It was revived Off-Broadway in 2004, and finally made its Broadway debut in 2011. The play was first published by Plume in the USA, and by Drama Editor Nick Hern for Methuen in the UK to coincide with the 1986 British première at London's Royal Court Theatre. He then reissued it in his own imprint Nick Hern Books in 2011 when first staged on Broadway, and again in a tie-in edition alongside the National Theatre revival in 2021.

3 editions

A. Rivera reviewed The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer

Review of 'The Normal Heart' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I picked this up after seeing it performed on my campus recently. You can read my review of the performancein my personal blog. A lot of what I wrote there does apply to my reading of the text. Some may say the play is dated, but I think it remains as relevant as ever. Though the LGBTQ community has made many strides from the last century, there is still a lot of work to be done, and there is still a lot of ignorance, bigotry, neglect, and other issues, plus the AIDS epidemic remains as lethal as ever. This is a moving and powerful play depicting the early days of the epidemic when no one really knew what was going on and a few people were just trying to figure out what to do and how to help while the rest just sat idly aside whether due to …

I picked this up after seeing it performed on my campus recently. You can read my review of the performancein my personal blog. A lot of what I wrote there does apply to my reading of the text. Some may say the play is dated, but I think it remains as relevant as ever. Though the LGBTQ community has made many strides from the last century, there is still a lot of work to be done, and there is still a lot of ignorance, bigotry, neglect, and other issues, plus the AIDS epidemic remains as lethal as ever. This is a moving and powerful play depicting the early days of the epidemic when no one really knew what was going on and a few people were just trying to figure out what to do and how to help while the rest just sat idly aside whether due to fear, prejudice, ignorance, or just flat out arrogance. The gay community was divided, right after the sexual revolution of the 1960s, confronted by an emerging epidemic that they felt threatened anything they achieved out of the revolution. The medical establishment, save for one or two brave souls, pretty much did nothing other than fight internally for the glory of maybe snagging a Nobel Prize for discovering the virus rather than actually collaborating. And then there was the government at all levels. As it is said in the play, no one really comes out looking well after all of this.

Well worth reading, and if it happens to come to your town or college campus, go see it.

Lists

Gay Fiction (MLM) English