The Normal Heart

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. To date, 78 million people have been infected by HIV and 39 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses. To date, there have been 5.5 million deaths from COVID-19.

Across the world, government health responses to the coronavirus have been swift. Yet it took US President Reagan and many like him four years to mention publicly the actual medical term for the “gay plague”.

Writer and activist Larry Kramer’s dynamite semi-autobiographical play about the AIDS epidemic in New York broke new ground when it premiered in 1985 at the Public Theater, going on to become a multi-Tony Award-winner on Broadway and to inspire the HBO film.

Set during the first years of the crisis in 1980s New York, a determined Ned Weeks (Kramer’s fictional alter-ego) co-assembles a group along to help expose the truth about the mystery illness killing their friends, lovers and other men across the city. Ignored by politicians, the media and many of his colleagues and family, Ned’s passion and wit ignites as he tries to unite his community in the fight for their recognition and survival.

In its Adelaide premiere, The Normal Heart embraces a new generation with Artistic Director and four time Helpmann Award winner Mitchell Butel in the pivotal role of Ned.

Documenting Kramer’s years on the frontline of a health crisis that would change the world, this inspirational and edge-of-your-seat drama and surprising love story from the man described by Susan Sontag as “one of America’s most valuable troublemakers” is must-see theatre. An electrifying and heart-rending story about a pandemic many tried to ignore and the people who refused to let them do so.

A landmark play from the past that speaks very much to our present and future, featuring one of our largest ensemble casts ever. Helpmann Award-winning former Associate Director of Melbourne Theatre Company Dean Bryant brings a grand new vision for the play – you will not want to miss this. Mitchell

Content: Coarse language, adult themes, smoking of herbal cigarettes, smoke and haze effects
Age Guide: 15+
Run time: 2 hours 30 mins (including interval)

Single tickets are now available to book online.

BOOK NOW

Please note: State Theatre Company South Australia’s ticket allocation for the performances on Tue 11 and Wed 12 Oct are currently exhausted. You can still buy tickets through Ticketek.

Single Ticket Prices

PREVIEW/MATINEE
Adult $70.00
Concession $60.00
Under 30, Full Time Student $39.00

EVENING
Adult $80.00
Concession $70.00
Under 30, Full Time Student $39.00

Bookings via State Theatre Company South Australia ticketing incur a $4.95 transaction fee.
Bookings via Ticketek incur an $8.95 transaction fee.

Audio Described Performances and Pre-Show Briefing
Saturday 8 October, 1pm (briefing), 2pm (performance) – click here to book (select the orange Audio Described seats)
Monday 10 October, 5.30pm (briefing), 6.30pm (performance with post-show Q and A) – click here to book (select the orange Audio Described seats)

Captioned Performances
11.00am, Wednesday 12 October
6.30pm, Wednesday 12 October

Visit statetheatrecompany.com.au/access for more information on our Access Program.

Feast Festival – Celebrating 25 years – 5-27 Nov

Exhibition – The Quilt: An Australian AIDS Memorial – 7 Nov-2 Dec

The Quilt: A Forum on the SA AIDS Quilt – 10 Nov

The Rainbow Monologues – 16 Nov

SAMESH – South Australia Mobilisation + Empowerment for Sexual Health

Tangent

Join a panel of experts discussing the themes of the show on Monday 12 September for our The Normal Heart  Tangent Talk.

Subscriber Briefing

2022 Subscribers are invited to join us on Monday 26 September for an exclusive Subscriber Briefing to learn more about the creation of the show.

Post Show Q&As

We hold Q&As with our artists and creative teams so that you can ask questions about the production.

Venue Access

The Normal Heart is being held at the Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre.

The recommended Dunstan Playhouse and Space Theatre drop off zone is at the northern end of the Riverbank Footbridge on War Memorial Drive (walk across the Footbridge to Dunstan Playhouse) or at the Intercontinental Hotel (walk north between the Intercontinental Hotel and Railway Station along the lane way to the Riverbank). There is also a drop off area and two accessible car spaces on lower Festival Drive, accessible from the west via Montefiore Road.

Getting to the Venue

Adelaide Festival Centre is easily accessible by public transport, including the tram (stop at Railway Station), trains, buses and a free bus service that operates on a loop throughout the city and North Adelaide with stops on the corner of King William Road and North Terrace.

For more information visit https://adelaidemetro.com.au/

For information about parking near the Adelaide Festival Centre, please click here.

State Theatre Company South Australia is following advice from the Australian Government Department of Health and SA Health regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and will continue to do so as the situation changes in South Australia and around the country. Please visit our Terms & Conditions of Sale page for COVID safe venue information.

Should conditions change, will provide updates via our website, social media, and/or direct communication with ticket buyers.

Before you attend an event, please read the pre-show email sent to ticket buyers to keep up-to-date with the latest guidelines. If you did not purchase your tickets, please ask the person who did to send you your pre-show email.