THE NORMAL HEART
VINTAGE THEATRE: 1/15 – 2/21 
L-R: Charlie Wingerter and Craig A. Bond
Vintage Theatre’s production of Larry
Kramer’s play about the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s is
heartbreaking.
Playwright Kramer writes himself into this
harrowing and mostly autobiographical play in the character of Ned Weeks, a
Jewish American writer who attempted to create an organization to communicate
awareness of an unidentified disease that was killing gay men.
Charlie Wingerter’s fiery portrayal of Ned
is a tour de force. Ned’s fierce, confrontational activism is given a raging
reality that reaches its zenith in his fight against city hall. He struggled to
reach people in authority who could assist in battling the disease when nobody
even knew what caused it. His one-man war designed to create awareness and
engender allies within the administrations of Ronald Reagan and Mayor Koch was
met with resistance on every front.
Craig A. Bond portrays Felix Turner, a
writer for the New York Times who falls for Ned even as he is unwilling to
promote his article about the epidemic.
Bond invests
his character with a breezy, flirtatious warmth in the early scenes that turns to
wrenching anguish by final curtain. The scene in which Felix visits Ben, Ned’s
estranged lawyer brother in an attempt to complete his will, is indelible.
Christian Munck plays Bruce Niles, the
cautious, polite and closeted ‘good cop’ in this world of gay activism. The exaggerated
contrast of Bruce’s self-absorbed narcissism with Ned’s fierce outspoken
indictment of the governmental and scientific silence is startling. Munck’s
monologue about the dehumanizing treatment of a dying lover is delivered with
power.
Emma Messenger gives a convincing
portrayal of Dr. Emma Brookner, the first known medical doctor to become aware
of the burgeoning epidemic.
Director Paul Jaquith’s clear-eyed
direction is unflinching in its insistence on realism in treating the material.
The Normal Heart was produced off Broadway
in 1985 and garnered three Tony awards including one for best revival of a play
in 2011. It was produced as a film made for televison that starred Mark Ruffalo
in 2014.
In the Intimacy of the Bond/Trimble
theatre, "The Normal Heart" will take your breath away.
Vintage Theatre
presents
"The Normal
Heart"
Jan. 15 - Feb. 21
A
searing drama about public and private indifference to the AIDS epidemic.
Fri/Sat at 7:30
p.m.; Sun at 2:30 p.m.; Monday, January 25 and (closing) Sunday, February 21 at
7:30 p.m
$20 - $30
303-856-7830 or
online at www.vintagetheatre.org
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