My thoughts on NEXT TO NORMAL (Long, possible spoilers)- Page 2

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 3:06am

guys, its practically the same size show as Spelling Bee i fail to see how a broadway transfer is so unfesible to some of you.


Also, would you really want to pass on another oppurtunity to get Alice Ripley a Tony? Or BDJ. Or Aaron. (the other 3 roles aren't really tony bait)

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 8:23am

I already said that Ripley would steal the Tony from LuPone, Russell, O'Hara, etc.

But as of right now, the show isn't in Broadway shape. After they finish tinkering, maybe. I'll have to go back to see the finished product!

[joniray]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 9:53am

But you said, referring to the show the way it is now, that it was "quite possibly, the best musical I've seen since The Producers in 2001."

Even if we were to only look at it's competition so far for this year alone, I would think it would seem worthy. Do you feel it is a better show than Young Frankenstein? Little Mermaid? Xanadu?



Updated On: 1/27/08 at 09:53 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 9:56am

It's the most enjoyable and fulfilling musical experience I've had since The Producers. But that doesn't mean it's perfect.

It actually IS the best NEW musical of the season. Especially compared to Young Snoreinstein, The Overproduced Mermaid, and Xanabore.

As I said in an earlier post, my biggest problem is that there are some elements in Grief's staging which do a disservice to the material.
Updated On: 1/27/08 at 09:56 AM

[joniray]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:12am

Oh, I don't believe it's perfect either (mostly due to the rewrites in the second act), and how many shows are? But its still a hell of a show as it is now.

As far as Greif is concerned, I never cared for his direction in Rent either, but I thought the material, as imperfect as it was, was strong enough to overcome his confusing staging. I feel similarly about N2N.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:19am

Oh, and I seem to remember that the Superboy and Invisible Girl song is in the 2nd Act. I was looking at the song list someone posted, and it seems to be listed in the first act, as of an early preview.

Can't say for sure, though.

[joniray]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:34am

Hmmmm...If this is true, it is a very interesting change. I actually thought that song worked well in the first act (better than I had expected), but if they have returned it back to it's second act spot (where it was in NYMF’s Feeling Electric), I wonder if they are making moves towards making the second act of N2N closer in story and structure to Feeling Electric's.

If they are, then that would make me VERY happy! I'm even more excited now to revisit the show (which I'll be doing this evening).

[jake6970]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 11:02am

Superboy was in the 1st act when I saw it a week ago.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 11:05am

"Superboy..." is still in the first act, unless they just moved it last night.

And thanks for the review, I'm a total Alice Ripley fangirl so it made me grin, that's for sure, but I love thoughtfully written reviews.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 11:59am

It was in the first act on Thursday. It was in the second act for the '05 NYMF production. Given where it falls in the plot and the way the acts are split up now, I'd be surprised if they moved it back.

[jake6970]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 12:42pm

I think Growing Up Unstable and Superboy in the same act would make Natalie seem way too whiny/pathetic.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 12:44pm

I think it's also largely a matter of length. The NYMF production was three. hours. long. A lot of the way N2N is structured feels like they just slid the intermission in order to accommodate the shortened length. It works for the plot, of course, but it works length-wise, too.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 3:38pm

Updated On: 1/27/08 at 03:38 PM

[WesternSky2]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 3:55pm

Really glad to hear you liked it! I'm heading back on Wednesday to see changes and such.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 4:02pm

Both times ive been it's run right around 2:30 with the intermission.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 6:05pm

Personally? 2 hours 10 minutes without intermission would have been even better. The 15 minute break, even though "necessary" to process the whole thing, seemed to kill the momentum.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:28pm

i dont understand everyone's problems with the length. I think it's a great length. I'd prefer it were a little longer and them get an ending that makes sense and has the proper emotional payoff.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:29pm

Just got in from seeing it again and going to the talk back. A couple of things...

"Costco" ~ I actually asked about this one since it does feel kind of...weird (at least to me). Like is doesn't really fit in with the rest of things. The intent as they have it in is to show Diana as a "normal" or "typical" housewife/mother and how far separated from reality she is. They asked for a show of hands as to who liked it vs. who didn't and it was pretty evenly split. They did say there are some ideas to show the depth of her illness if they were to rewrite that part but didn't elaborate.

They're definitely tweaking "Feeling Electric" ~ said that there will be changes to that starting on Tuesday.

I'm definitely planning to go back and see it again. I can't really explain it, but it really hits home for me. It takes a lot for a show to earn a standing ovation from me and both times this one has.

(Incidentally, Anthony Rapp was at the show tonight as were a couple of other people I know I should know but couldn't place.)

Oh, and yeah, "Superboy..." is in Act I. At least for now.

Updated On: 1/27/08 at 10:29 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:33pm

I, for one, love Costco. I don't know, though, maybe you have to have grown up in the suburbs with a mom who bought everything in bulk to get how spot-on that humor is.

Anthony Rapp is assistant directing. The show is still in previews and they're still making changes. There's nothing incidental about his presence.

Updated On: 1/27/08 at 10:33 PM

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:35pm

Anthony is Asisstant Directing, he's been at all of the previews i think.


Also. So Many Ways To Die (a song originally in FE but not in N2N) was a better way of showing her illness, but it really slowed the story progression (especially with both songs being in the show).

[jordangirl]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:42pm

Yeah, I realized that after I typed it. :)

I don't necessarily dislike it ("Costco"), but it's just a little too much of a break for me (and feels kind of like a commercial). But then again, I grew up slightly before the age of the bulk shopping craze.

[alfgiotir]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:48pm

demos anywhere out there?

[broadwaybaby086]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:54pm

I saw it this afternoon for the second time, and there were small changes, but nothing too noticeable. I also don't remember extreme details from the first preview to compare. Ripley's voice has improved, she was less strained and less pitchy. Only d'Arcy James impressed me this afternoon, followed by Tveit and Ripley, each to a lesser extent.

That's all I'm going to say performance-wise, as once I sat down I realized that I didn't actually want to see it at the moment- my mind was completely not there today- and I spent a good portion of the time fidgeting and unfocused. It's difficult to decipher whether or not the "something missing" I felt today was on stage or on my part. I hate when I buy tickets in advance and the day comes and I just feel "eh." Oh well.

It's still solid, I hope people continue to check it out.

[Tchi4Lif188]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:55pm

I personally like Costco. I mean, no it's not hitting you in the face immediately that she's having an episode but I don't feel like it needs to be. It starts to become clear immediately after the song that something is off and then it gets explained while she's at the doctor's. I think it works fine.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:19pm

Ok so something I've been thinking about regarding "Costco" as the set up of Diana's mental/emotional problems. In Feeling Electric there was another song at the beginning that I think better set up he mania but with Costco is too much. I loved "So Many Ways to Die" for several reasons/ The song itself was great but there was also the added irony in that she's singing the song to her dead son. The song is better than costco and sets up he mental state better than costco, but costco is the emotional catalyst for the rest of the show. So clearly they had to pick one (as the first act was too long at NYMF) and for the show's progression they picked the right one.