ATTITUDE I FEATURE era ~ Tim Teeman finds legendary activist LARRY KRAMER causing a sensation on Broadway all over again roadway audiences are another and fight for healthcare Sir Elton John's partner, was sitting sluttish when it comes to under the auspices of Gay Men's two rows in front of me and later Bstanding ovations. But even Health Crisis (GMHC, unnamed in revealed he had been so affected given their relentless enthusiasm, the play), become frightened about by the play, he and Sir Elton were the reaction to the first-night preview the transmission of the disease and considering bringing it to the UK. He of the revival of The Normal Heart in whether those who had it could be found it 'an astonishing, emotionally April was something else. Clapping kissed, or even touched. One man's compelling piece of writing and a at the ends of scenes. Cries of 'Shame' body is left in a giant plastic bag with moving, fantastic piece of theatre during others. Then, at the end, the the rubbish. On the first preview, that the younger generation needs to kind of thunderous applause to the play came to a standstill when see. HIV infections and other STDs warm any actor's heart and fire an Ellen Barkin, playing a doctor trying are on the rise among younger gay audience's passion, conscience and, to secure money and a smidgeon men. They see AIDS as something for many, painful memories. of interest from her scientific peers belonging to an older gay generation, Larry Kramer's play, first staged in for her research, loses it with one of which is down to poor sex education 1985, is a moving, raw period piece, them when he snidely dismisses her. and the knowledge that AIDS is focusing on the early years of AIDS, Her ringing denunciation earned a treatable with drug regimens, that from 1981-1984, the years when HIV rousing round of applause. it's no longer a death sentence. But and AIDS didn't have names, or Twenty five years after it was first drug treatments are for life. They can also go wrong or be toxic, and new strains ofHIVare mutating.' Kramer I want young people to see this. The world's is blunter: 'I want young people to see this. The world's leaders allow this leaders allow this plague to grow and grow plague to grow and grow.' If you like your plays subtle and scientific reasons for being; before staged, this is the first time the play metaphorical, The Normal Heart­ the drugs, before the organisations, has been performed on Broadway which originally starred Martin before anyone knew what it was and the audience's appreciation Sheen in the UK - is not for you. It is that was killing mainly gay men in led Kramer to note to me wryly, as direct as a punch in the face and swathes, not just in New York, where 'Better late than never'. Ever the as angry as a rash, which is just as The Normal Heart is set. indefatigable activist (he turns 76 on you'd expect from Kramer, who is In the play, the city refuses to June 25), he hands out stirring leaflets best known for his ferocious fury, not allocate money to fund prevention outside the theatre every night with just at the injustice of homophobia, and advertising, while gay men, the message that AIDS isn't over. but also it seems anyone who grouping together to care for one At the first preview, David Furnish, disagrees with him. He is both an 60 I ATTITUDE ATTITUDE I FEATURE I Kramer bands out leaflets at the theatre every night with the message *DS isn't over' ., admirable political powerhouse, a David Furnish told me, 'Elton brave work. It's no exaggeration to say brave force for change (when the and I would both like to make Larry made Elton feel ashamed he world was a much anti-gayer place), the production as widely seen as had done so little when he was a gay yet also deeply divisive. He admits possible, and that includes helping man in the mid-1980s in the throes of to his polarising character in the fund versions of it wherever we can, drug addiction. It's no coincidence central character of Ned Weeks (Joe including London.' Both Sir Elton that Elton got sober 21 years ago and Mantello has been nominated for a and he, said Furnish, were 'angry the foundation was born a year later. Tony Award for Best Actor, alongside that AIDS treatment and prevention Elton realised he had a lot of time to AI Pacino and Mark Rylance, for budgets are being cut in the US, make up for, that he had to throw his the role). Weeks is, Kramer tells me, there is not enough sex education in hat in the ring. From that point on he himself. 'For years it was said this schools. Governments in the US, UK, has been focused on doing as much as play was semi-autobiographical. Well everywhere could, and should, be he can to fight AIDS.' it wasn't. It all happened, just as it doing more to fight AIDS.' As the play starkly relates, GMHC happens on stage.' Kramer's radical example had banished Kramer, claiming his A Hollywood film of The Normal 'shamed' Sir Elton into 'doing more to radical activism was alienating too Heart, directed by Glee creator Ryan fight AIDS', specifically setting up the many potential powerful supporters Murphy, is in development with Elton john AIDS Foundation 20 years and the city's politicians. Many of the Mark Ruffalo slated to play Ned. 'But ago, Furnish said. 'Elton saw what group's members were in the closet I'm keepipg my excitement in check,' Larry was doing, and while he is a and rattled by Kramer's high-profile laughs Kramer. 'Barbra Streisand had friend of ours, we don't always agree campaigning. His view that gays the rights for 10 years and nothing with him- he is a polarising figure should stop having promiscuous sex ever came of it.' - but he has always done amazing, and demand the right to marry (so 62 I ATTITUDE FEATURE I ATTITUDE He made Elton feel ashamed be bad done so little- David Furnish on Larry Kramer timely now), was out of step with the Opposite poge party Kramer was pulled away by picketed meetings to draw attention The cost of The liberationist orthodoxy of the time. Normal Hearl police when he got too close to Koch. to a lack of government action on In the play, Kramer's portrayal of 'When I first saw him in the lobby, AIDS. Further novels and plays, himself-as-Ned is unsparing and far Top lek lorry I screamed at him, "We don't want including The Destiny ofMe (1992), a su pporting from heroic. 'Everyone has their day the Act·Up you here!" as loud as I could, and sequel to The Normal Heart, revealed in court,' Kramer tells me. It is jarring coolition against I was told by my landlord that we Kramer's unalloyed anger and government in the best possible way to hear gay inaction against would be evicted if I did it again. So political engagement, although less men talking to each other as gay men AIDS I didn't. I like my apartment memorably than The Normal Heart. really talk to each other, not in the Ben Brantley, the chief theatre Above lek too much.' pasteurised-for-primetime way we've Protesting N YC Kramer, who was diagnosed critic of The New rork Times, whose become so used to. mayor Ed Koch's HIV-positive in the mid-1980s, influential reviews make or break sexuality The play skewers then-New York almost died from hepatitis Bin plays, told Attitude that the new Mayor Ed Koch for remaining Above right lorry 2001 and was saved by a liver production of the play was 'amazing, at home in N ew closeted about his homosexuality York, MJy 20 I 1 transplant. He was famous before extremely powerful. If at the original while presiding over an The Normal Heart for Faggots, a time it seemed like agit-prop, and a administration that ignored gay 1978 novel that portrayed the revival five years ago had too great men's suffering. Koch and Kramer promiscuity of the New York a sense of distance about it, the new now live in the same apartment block. and Fire Island gay scenes and, production gets it absolutely right. 'We are separated by a lift shaft. I after GMHC, was instrumental The directors Joel Grey and George have nothing to say to him. He is a in the formation in 1987 of direct­ C. Wolfe ensure that the characters monstrous man who continues to action group Act-Up, whose are characters first and not merely disgust me,' Kramer told me. At one demonstrators stopped traffic and ideological constructs. There is an ATTITUDE I 63 ATTITUDE I FEATURE Photography Donna Alberico r rm still angry about the inequality gay people face and the ~ suffering ofthose marginalised by society. I hope I die angry a writer who has known Kramer for 25 years professionally and socially, yet who wished to remain Top right urgency and specificity in each of of the characters shouts at Ned, 'you're Kramer protesting anonymous for fear of attracting them. The play is a clarion call to suddenly telling me I'm a killer.' a dose of his notorious ire.