REVIEW: THE NORMAL HEART

Hum Drum

The Springs, Havant

OFFERING a stark reminder of the 1980's AIDS epidemic, the prejudice surrounding gay relationships and the appalling antipathy towards this New York community’s plight, in the grip of this fatal disease, “The Normal Heart” offers no respite for the soul and no apology for its political stance.

The collective cast wring out every emotion, from themselves and us, as the disease takes a grip and lives unravel. Ned Weekes (Mikey Palmer), the central character, captures the sense of urgency but also the marginalisation and powerlessness, which is mirrored in the story. The second half sees some passionate (Peter Colley, Caz Gilmore) and some heart-rending (Michael Gondelle, Sam Sampson) performances that would squeeze the most hardened, never mind “normal” hearts.

The conceptualised and well worked set, projections and 80's soundtrack subtly added to the plays complexity, in this carefully crafted piece, directed by Sam Sampson.

Rebecca Case