Everyman Theatre makes a welcome return to the Courtyard Studio with a powerful, moving and thought-provoking production of Larry Kramer's autobiographical account of the devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. The Normal Heart reverberates with the pain, suffering and anger that gripped New York during the terrifying emergence of the disease that was about to sweep throughout the world, killing members of the gay community and eventually inflicting its ravaging disease upon homosexuals and heterosexuals alike.

As Kramer's play so vividly portrays and Everyman Theatre's staging brilliantly brings to life, The Normal Heart is a deeply personal and profound insight into the human condition and a universal testament to love's enduring virtue. Director Karen Vickery and a stellar cast present a play that exposes the fears, the frustration and the battles in the face of ignorance, bureaucracy and prejudice.

In the central role of Ned Weeks, a gay writer and activist, Jarrad West gives a brilliant portrayal of a man fighting against insurmountable odds to battle the epidemic and save the lives of the victims of AIDS. He is determined to establish an organisation that will make the gay community aware of the horrific effects of the mysterious illness, and unite to find a solution. Consumed by fury, Weeks is confronted by opposition on all sides, including gay city official Hiram Keebler (Christopher Carroll) as well as members of his organisation's board, president, Bruce Niles (Christopher Zuber) and members Mickey Marcus (Michael Sparks), Tommy Boatwright (Riley Bell) and Grady (Teig Sadhana).

Tensions rise as his lover Felix (Will Huang) succumbs to the deadly disease. Ned's brother, straight lawyer Ben Weeks (Robert de Fries) struggles to support Ned's desperate pleas for financial help to fight the spread of AIDS .

As Emma Brookner, the doctor desperately treating the victims, Jordan Best superbly captures the powerless vulnerability of her circumstance with forceful poignancy. It is to the credit of Vickery and her ensemble that every performance in The Normal Heart rings with startling authenticity.

Vickery directs her cast with a sharp eye for detail, true to Kramer's text, and with heartfelt empathy. Audiences are unlikely to see a finer production of this riveting and universally important play or more gripping and truthful performances from some of Canberra's finest actors.

Ultimately, Kramer's play leaves audiences with the realisation that gay or straight, we share the same humanity, the need to love and be loved, the need to be respected for who we are and to die with dignity.

As contemporary debates rage over same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia, The Normal Heart reminds us that humanity and reason must prevail. As Felix says to Ned at the close of the play, "Do not lose that anger. Try to have a little patience and understanding." Everyman Theatre has created a performance that should not be missed, and a lesson for us all to share.