The Normal Heart

Set in New York City in the early 1980s, this stage play follows Ned Weeks, a writer and activist who watches a mysterious illness spread through his circle of gay friends. As the sickness claims lives and frightens those around him, Ned and a small group of allies press for a response that the city and nation seem unwilling to provide. Their personal relationships, fears and loyalties are tested as the crisis deepens.

The play moves from the first reports of the disease to the years that follow, tracing how a private tragedy becomes a public scandal. Dr. Emma Brookner, a physician who treats the sick, is among the characters who see the failures of government, the press and ordinary citizens up close. Larry Kramer uses the drama to level sharp accusations at each of them, combining intimate scenes with fierce, direct argument.

Written as a political drama about the AIDS epidemic, the play is intended for adult audiences and is frequently staged as an examination of activism and public health. It was later adapted for television as an HBO film in 2014.