Review: NEXT TO NORMAL, Wyndham's Theatre

In 2009, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Next to Normal, a show about a mother's struggle with bipolar depression and the imprint it leaves on her family, took Broadway by storm. Sweeping up several Tony awards and a Pulitzer prize, it's surprising that this kitchen-sink-drama meets rock musical didn't make its way to the UK until last year, during a highly acclaimed run at The Donmar Warehouse.

Now, the Goodmans' suburban home is situated within Wyndham's theatre on a sleek, two-tiered set (Chloe Lamford) that places the audience right in the heart of the story. Without giving too much away, what follows is a delicate yet gut-punching exploration of mental health and grief among a family trying to get through for just another day.

Caissie Levy gives a stellar performance as Diana, a woman whose life and mental health are unravelling at a speed she can't quite keep up with. Her emotive performance never feels overplayed or heavy-handed, something which the complex material could lend itself to were it not taken on by a performer of this skill level, especially during numbers such as "I Miss the Mountains" and "Wish I Were Here." 

Jamie Parker is equally fantastic as Dan, Diana's husband, who is navigating (read: neglecting) his own pain while trying to hold his wife and family together. Parker gives an expertly restrained performance, never letting his emotions run over until a haunting duet in Act 2 with Jack Wolfe.

Wolfe, playing the role of their son Gabe, has an incredible stage presence. Often lingering in the shadows as the drama plays out around him, his portrayal of Gabe is both compelling and unnerving. He shares a wonderful chemistry with Levy and delivers one of the stand-out numbers of the night with the song, "I'm Alive."

Where Gabe is collected, Natalie, his younger sister, can't stop her emotions from spilling onto the surface. Here, Eleanor Worthington-Cox gives a heart-wrenching performance that hurtles through anger, sadness, and teenage angst, often within a few short seconds. She's paired nicely with Jack Ofrecio as her boyfriend, Henry, who brings levity both to Natalie and the production itself.

The cast is rounded off by Trevor Dion Nicholas, as Diana's endless string of Doctors, each offering new treatments or solutions to help her get back on track. While the main focus is on the ripple effects that both grief and pain have on those around us, a clear criticism of how we treat mental health is woven into the production. Way over a decade since it's first iteration, it's disheartening that little has changed.

If not already obvious, every performer on stage gives a strong performance. With a cult following and complex subject matter, it's a difficult musical to bring to the stage, but they do it with grace and ease, aided by direction from Michael Longhurst. The cast is as strong vocally as they are within their acting, giving justice to the punchy score.

The staging, largely built to mirror a family home across two levels with separate rooms, is a useful narrative aid - often signifying the distance between characters who are physically close but boxed off from each other entirely when it comes to their emotions. This is let down somewhat by the use of unnecessary projections, which feel a little too far removed from what is otherwise a very grounded production.

While plenty of productions steer away from the idea that musicals are a predominantly happy genre, there's something unique about the way sadness and loss are portrayed within Next to Normal. There's little room for emotional reprieve within the two-hour and 25-minute run time, with each song tugging at a new emotion. 

Equal parts heartbreaking and heart-wrenching, Next to Normal is the kind of show that you're left thinking about long after you've left the theatre.

Next To Normal is at Wyndham's Theatre until September 21.

Photo Credits: Marc Brenner

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