Above, under & beyond the rainbow: Theater Review: The Normal Hearts

I cried.

That was my reaction towards the end of The Normal Hearts as I was watching it last June 30, 2015 at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater in RCBC Plaza, Makati City.

Not because it was gay themed nor due to the death of Felix Turner (played by Topper Fabregas) – which is one factor, but because of the reality of things presented in it. The play was written during the onset of HIV/AIDS during the early till mid-80’s but the challenges that was presented is still happening now in some degrees.

Written by Larry Kramer and set on stage by Actor’s Actors, Inc. & The Necessary Theatre for the Philippine theater goers this 2015, this piece calls for awareness, unity and vigilance in and outside of the LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals & Transgender) community. With a very effective casting, AAI aims to make people aware of the present situation of this disease in the country.

Synopsis

During the early 1980s, Jewish-American writer and gay activist Ned Weeks struggles to pull together an organization focused on raising awareness about the fact that an unidentified disease is killing off an oddly specific group of people: gay men largely in New York City. Dr. Emma Brookner, a physician and survivor of polio, as a consequence of which she is using a wheelchair, is the most experienced with this strange new outbreak and bemoans the lack of medical knowledge on the illness, encouraging the abstinence of gay men for their own safety, since it is unknown yet even how the disease is spread. Ned, a patient and friend of Brookner, calls upon his lawyer brother, Ben, to help fund his crisis organization; however, Ben's attitude toward his brother is to give merely passive support, ultimately exposing his apparent homophobia. For the first time in his life, meanwhile, Ned falls in love, beginning a relationship with New York Times writer Felix Turner.

The increasing death toll raises the unknown illness, now believed to be caused by a virus, to the status of an epidemic, though the press remains largely silent on the issue. A sense of urgency guides Ned who realizes that Ben is more interested in buying a two-million-dollar house than in backing Ned's activism. Ned explosively breaks off ties to his brother until Ben can fully accept Ned and his homosexuality. Ned next looks to Mayor Ed Koch's administration for aid in financing research about the epidemic that is quickly killing off hundreds of gay men, including some of Ned's personal friends.

Ned's organization elects as its president Bruce Niles, who is described as the "good cop" of gay activism, in comparison to Ned; while Bruce is cautious, polite, deferential, and closeted, Ned is vociferous, confrontational, incendiary, and supportive only of direct action. Tensions between the two are clear, though they must work together toward the promotion of their organization. Felix, meanwhile, reveals to Ned his belief that he is infected with the mysterious virus.

Although he continues to try to strengthen interactions with the mayor, Ned ruins his chances when his relentless and fiery personality appalls a representative sent by the mayor. Dr. Brookner gradually takes the role of activist herself, noting the epidemic's appearance in other countries around the world and even among heterosexual couples.

Although she desperately asks for government funding for further research, she is denied; the rejection releases in her a passionate tirade against those who allow the persistence of an epidemic that is taking the lives of the homosexual individuals already marginalized by the government. In the meantime, Ned's conflict with Bruce comes to a head, and their organization's board of directors ultimately expels Ned from the group, believing his unstable vehemence to be a threat to the group's attempts at more calm-mannered diplomacy.

As Felix's condition worsens, he visits Ben Weeks in order to make his will and with a hope of reconciling Ben with his brother. Felix soon dies and Ned blames himself for Felix's death, lamenting that he did not fight hard enough to have his voice heard. The mortality rate from HIV/AIDS is shown to continue increasing as the stage fades to black.

Courtesy of AAI & The Necessary Theatre and Mr. Toots Tolentino (Publicist)

As a viewer, there were some things that got my attention while watching the play. Details that raised some queries in my mind, good or challenging it may be. The first thing that got my attention was the way the staging was set. There was a minimalist approached to it due to the need of constant set change. Blocks and two movable tower screens were all that there is on the stage. Instead of real chairs, blocks were used instead. The screens were used for image projection for setting the location or simply create a drama to the drama. Because of the minimalist approached, this also led me to thinking and feeling that the stage is so big - giving blank spaces as the scenes were being rolled out. The lights were somehow on the minimalist approached also. According to a colleague, the original staging of this piece made use of simple florescent lamps as source of lights all throughout the play. It was notable that they simply made it near to the original staging but for a photographer, it was a challenge to a degree because of how the lights were set on certain parts of the stage. One thing that I need to figure out is the availability of that type of wheelchair during the time period that the play calls for – an equipment used by Dr. Emma Brookner who was a polio victim.

The cast are as follow:

Bart Guingona as Ned Weeks

Richard Cunanan as Ben Weeks

Roselyn Perez as Dr. Emma Brookner

TJ Trinidad as Bruce Niles

Nor Domingo as Mickey Marcus

Red Concepcion as Tommy Boatwright

Topper Fabregas as Felix Turner

Jef Flores as Hiram Keebler/Examining Doctor/Grady/Craig

All of the actors were effective in their roles but there is always someone who would get my attention due to the delivery and sincerity of breathing life to the character created by Larry Kramer; that is Roselyn Perez as Dr. Emma Brookner.

As Dr. Emma Brookner, Roselyn Perez was simply stuck into her wheelchair as she delivers her lines in all the scenes that call for her. What got my attention was how she truly made herself look like a polio victim physically – the way her foot was tucked and the strength to fight the impulse to use her leg on scenes that showed her frustrations. You feel her emotion as a frustrated doctor battling a disease that doesn’t have any cure or identity at that time. Her strength as an individual showed as she gave the character the identity of someone who has been through tough times just to prove his/her worth to the public and at the same time show heart. What is touching about her role is how it reflects some people in the society who are concerned with the plight of LGBT rights even if they are not members of the said community – concerned because they understand that they are also human like them, bearing the same concerns and desires in life.

Red Concepcion is one good actor to watch. His portrayal as a “southern belle” is down pat! His accent and his movements were all what a “southern belle” is at that time. His character is something that some of us in the LGBT community can relate to (the flirt scene) somehow.

There was something in the way that Bart Guingona developed or presented his character that got me in a loop somehow. It started hesitant that grew in strength as the play goes on. You feel his emotions on all the important scenes – which is nearly everything for there were three scenes that you don’t get to see him. When he was able to relax, he was able to somehow let go of what is making his character hesitant in the first place. I will leave it to jitters.

Richard Cunanan and Nor Domingo delivered a solid performance! Nor’s peak scene radiates the needed and required emotion of someone who is frustrated, in fear and caught in the politics of oneself versus for the good of others. Richard’s character shift showed the adage of blood is thicker than water is indeed true. Topper Fabregas dramatic scenes were truly commendable! How his character tied to that of Ned Weeks is something that romantic individuals will die for, somehow. His exchanging of vows and death were two tied scenes that screamed for happiness, sorrow and justice for all those like him. TJ Trinidad’s breakdown scene is noteworthy also. TJ’s character (Bruce Niles) reflects those who are challenged to come out into the open – something that is still prevalent up to now in our society (that is why we coined them “paminta”[pepper granules]- or pa-men [feeling straight even though he is not], with the description of “durog o buo” [whole or grounded]).

Richard Cunanan (Left) with Bart Guingona (Right)

As I have stated from the start of this writing, I cried towards the end of this play, while watching, because I feel all the emotions and the frustration of the characters and the playwright himself. Those situations are something that still shows in our society right now. The fear of the stigma of being branded as gay (closet cases), the carelessness of people which is shown in the continual increase of HIV infected cases (WHO records), the sense of security needed and/or should have by those in the LGBT community (homophobia and sense of job inequality or opportunity), the love lost (friends, love ones who has passed away), the want to help or take action but is tied down due to numerous factors (no information; may result to apathy or fear – as mentioned earlier), and the mortality/immortality issue (death and sex); issues that are happening now, not only to those within the LGBT community but also those of straight people. It only proves that our issues/concerns are also your issues/concerns and that issues/concerns are universal by nature. It only comes in different packaging; fitting that of the recipient (if ours are packaged with drama and style, it is because we find it more engaging).

The Normal Hearts reminds us that the fight is not yet over. We must continually educate people of all ages, regardless of sexual preference; remain vigilant against non-safe sex practices and open our hearts and mind to those around us – No Fear, only Love.

Photos:

(All photos were personally taken by me during the press preview of The Normal Hearts. Complete photo album of this play can be seen at the Facebook page of Above, Under and Beyond the Rainbow)