A moving play that centres on the early days of the AIDS pandemic could be brought to the British stage by Elton John and his partner David Furnish.

"The Normal Heart", written 26 years ago by Larry Kramer, the American playwright and activist, opens for the first time on Broadway on April 27, 2011, having earned standing ovations in previews.

"Better late than never," Kramer told UK newspaper The Times. David claims the playwright's work "shamed" Elton into doing more to fight AIDS, specifically setting up the Elton John AIDS Foundation 20 years ago. David said the emotional play is, "an astonishing, emotionally compelling piece of writing and a moving, fantastic piece of theater that the younger generation needs to see. Elton and I are focused on making sure that they do."

"Elton and I would both like to make the production as widely seen as possible, and that includes helping fund and mount future versions of it wherever we can," Furnish went on. AIDS treatment and prevention budgets are being cut in the US and there is not enough sex education in schools. Governments in the US, UK, everywhere, could and should be doing more to fight AIDS."

He added: "I knew that fear, and seeing it on stage was very upsetting. It also shows the beginnings of smashing that fear and the power of gay men harnessed by uniting."

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