My thoughts on NEXT TO NORMAL (Long, possible spoilers) — Page 4

Yeah, but the song is all about the struggle within the family. The scene with Henry is effective because of the power behind contextualizing that family. Mental illness doesn't exist in a bubble. Families don't exist in bubbles. And part of the way this all impacts Natalie has to do with the way it infiltrates her life outside of her relationship with her parents. Imagine what it must be like for Natalie to have to explain all of this to her new boyfriend. If you cut that line where she tells him that Gabe died before she was born, you lose that. So that line is not about spoon-feeding or head-beating; I definitely don't see the purpose of that line being explain to the audience that he's dead. You can get that through the song, of course. And it's also not that losing it would cause stuff not to make sense. It's about expanding the realm of the story.

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Updated On: 1/31/08 at 01:33 AM

its more Diana's story than anyone elses

No it's not, though. Because her story is quite literally one of impact. She's a catalyst for the demise of relationships. Her story is ABOUT the way illness impacts that family. You can't have her story without them. It's not as compelling without seeing what it's doing to them. I actually think Dan is the most heart-wrenching character in that show. What he's going through just hits so hard.

i just feel like it really detracts from the art of discovery which is so much part of the experience of the audience.

And yes, but another huge part of the audience perspective is that you're watching (in general, not at this particular point) other people discover things that you already know. That happens in theater all. the. time. And part of the reason I think it's so well-done to have it seem like Gabe is a real, living child until that point is because you DO have that moment of realization in the theater. People gasp with surprise. Doesn't that say something? It's effective. I actually think if it were left to be "discovered" little by little, and the audience was left to piece together scattered hints, as you seem to think is better, people would be MORE confused, not less. I don't side with the types of theatergoers who all of the answers handed to them, of course -- and that's why I've been irritated by people's comments that you should know from the very beginning that Gabe is dead -- but I DO think that things need to be made clear, which subtle little hints are not. That kind of technique CAN work in some cases, but it's not appropriate for this show. There's a big difference between clarity and spoon-feeding.

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Updated On: 1/31/08 at 01:55 AM

Unless they changed the revelation since Sunday night, when they go into the house, Gabe disappears upstairs. They sit at the table (Henry, Natalie and Dan) and Diana gets the cake. The "I didn't know you had a brother"/"I don't." part ends with Natalie saying "He died before I was born." They all kind of freeze. Gabe is nowhere to be seen at that point, and Dan eventually silently blows out the candles.

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It's been about half and half when I've seen it ~ audible surprise vs. nothing audible. The first time I was surprised. I knew vaguely that there was a dead baby involved, but I didn't get until that moment that Gabe was said dead baby.

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They didn't have the "Let's eat" part in when I saw it. Dan and Diana kind of froze, Natalie buried her head in her arms and Henry just looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. Dan moved towards Diana and said something, then Natalie shouted "This is {expletive the site doesn't like}!" Dan said "Language!" Natalie shouted it again and ran upstairs. Henry mumbled something and went after her, leaving Diana and Dan alone.

That's an interesting question. I could see it either way...but he's definitely a presence in their lives, whether "real" or in their minds. Well, at least Diana and Dan's. I think Natalie's more haunted by being compared to the ghost of what's not there. I don't think his presence is as direct with her. It's more how his presence affects Mom and Dad and takes them and their focus away from her.

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Oh, ok. Never saw Six Feet Under, so I don't know.

Maybe I just approach it differently because I have family (aunt, uncle, cousins) who in a lot of ways could be the family in N2N ~ difference being the one son (4 daughters) was killed in an accident when he was 14 and while there's no medication involved (there SHUOLD be), Mom is very much the manic "keep going so everything stays together but continue idolizing the son" person while Dad is in denial of his own feelings about it. Thank god at least some of my cousins are escaping ~ even if only for a couple of years. Because of being around that part of my family at times, it does ring pretty true to life for me. Like, the son's presence (in both cases) is just part of everyday life.

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ooh look who's turning into a heinous bitch again. Natalie's revealing it DOES NOTIHNG FOR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. in fact, I'd say they've messed up her character development with the changes they've made. the way the scene used to go it was revealed even more just how neglected she's been by her mother "you've never even made me a ****ing cake before." So your argument about character development is wrong. We find out MORE about BOTH characters the other way.

I just have to interject...

Liverpool, the problem is that you will, inevitably, be comparing the production to what you saw in previous incarnations.

But this is a new entity. There's no reason to keep saying "well I like the last version better," because that last version isn't gonna rear its head.


And may I say, I had no problem with the character development, and must agree with Emcee.

well i think the fact people are so intense about this show is what makes it a good show...i was there WED night 1/31..adn i dont think i saw so many bway performers in a single audience (Menzel, Diggs, Rapp, Benanti,Shaiman, Wittman, A.Burns, Ashmanaskas, to name a few)...but i think i missed the plot twist at the end...i was sitting real close to the stage, so i think i missed the part where it was revealed that Dan was the patient...i totally didnt get it or see it...HELP!!!! i thought Alice was in rare form, her best role yet! Am i the only one who did like the actress playing Natalie? Anyway I also saw "Sunday" on wed...go see it..quickly!!

salutz1031, that "plot twist" was only part of "Feeling Electric" - it is not part of "Next to Normal" - you didn't miss anything.

alfgiotir - not legally, I don't think.

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This page doesn't have any music on it yet, but it looks like maybe it's going to at some point:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=312025290

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there are things alf, i dont know where to find them though.