NEXT TO NORMAL Reviews — Page 7

I think tazber deserves the tony.

---

Really, at the end of the day; we have no clue what show will win. For all we know, [title of show] could tie with "A Tale of Two Cities" for Best Musical. Things can happen that will shock us. We also don't know that the Tony awards will hand out nominations and wins based on the economy. My personal opinion is that if the Tony Awards were giving awards based on the economy, that would try to help the struggling shows and in that case, N2N would win. There have been PLENTY of dark/depressing musicals that have won BEST MUSICAL.

Les Miz
Rent
Spring Awakening
Sweeney Todd
Cabaret

ANYTHING can happen. But honestly, I really have no clue if the Tony awards is handing out honors based on the economic crisis. I still think Billy Elliot is most likely to win, that's based on the response. But REALLY. WHO KNOWS!!!! We NEVER EVER know!!!! And for people who are saying that Wicked is BE and Avenue Q is N2N, I beg to differ. I think that N2N is more like 'Caroline or Change'. Mark my words:


NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THE TONY AWARDS UNTIL THE CEREMONY HAS PASSED.

---

One last review from NY1 which makes the final roundup:

Rave 6
Very positive 5
Negative 3
Positive 2
Mixed to positive 1
Mixed to negative 1


NY1 is Very Positive:

"Next to so much else that's crooning on Broadway these days, you have to applaud the unique artistry that went into "Next To Normal." It's not perfect. And while delving into the rabbit hole of mental illness you may find the material somewhat familiar, the treatment is altogether original. "Next To Normal" is that rare musical that touches your heart and gets under your skin.

...

The superlative cast is led by Alice Ripley, who delivers a knockout performance as Diana. She breathes so much life into this tortured soul, we are instantly won over. She delivers a kind of hyper-naturalism that seems to transcend acting.

...

Not to go bi-polar here, but there are some problems with the show. The music tends to be overly repetitive and there are unnecessary contrivances in both characterizations and direction. Still, "Next to Normal" is an extraordinary work for the most part and it would be "insane" to dwell on any flaws."

Full Review with VIDEO

Updated On: 4/19/09 at 03:44 PM

I saw the show tonight, and it was great. I'm still not really sure how I feel about it be honest. I love parts of it, but at the same time I totally dislike other parts. I think it's a great show and if it won Best Musical I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit. It's a great piece of musical theater, but it still leaves me a bit cold. I mean, I just sort of watched the show. I didn't feel any sort of emotional connection to the show. I think it's almost hard to feel sorry for Diana, or Natlie. Ones crazy and one is sarcastic bitch. I guess Dan is the emotional center of the show.

It's still the same show it was in DC, but I'm glad to see that Ripley has toned down the craziness a bit. I thought she turned in a much more human performance than in her previous outings. Her voice rocks when it needs to, but it still leaves a little to be desired during the softer moments, but she was great nonetheless.



It was a freaking smorgasbord of Who's Who in the Broadway community tonight. Sitting in front of me was Gavin Creel, one of the "black dudes" from HAIR, Matt Cavanaugh and Jenny Powers. Down the row was Lil' John from WSS and someone else from WSS, I think. And behind me was Nick Adams and a girl from Guys and Dolls, I think. Also, a bunch of the cast of 13 was there. And Tom Kitt.

I didn't put the whole Tom Kitt and 13 connection together until I was home, ha. But I won't lie, they were pretty obnoxious.

Many years later, I finally saw the show, in one of its many regional productions on Saturday night. this one put on at Broadway by the Bay in the San Francisco area. It drew a good if not overflowing audience to a 1,400-seat theater in Redwood City. There were fine performances all around, and I think I liked the staging and lighting more than the snippets of the Broadway version I have checked out on YouTube after seeing the musical. (The Broadway version seemed harsh and very brightly lit.)

I'm still mulling this one over. I was happy to avoid spoilers, as one key revelation in Act One (yes, you know what it is) really was handled well and threw me for a loop. The twist left me watching a different show than I was expecting to see. I had warned my wife that the show is serious material about mental illness. And we've seen Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway and Fun Home on tour (I'm a big fan of the latter show.)

But Next to Normal, at least the version I saw, is one of the most unrelentingly grim musicals I can recall. While I didn't leave the theater humming the songs, the sheer ambition of it all, and willingness to be twisted and dark, is impressive. The finale is basically a cheerful tune with lyrics that basically say, "At least we're not dead, even if everything sucks." I could have done without that song, as its uplifting tone undermines the fact that the story is a tragedy that offers little hope for the characters at the end. And "I Am the One (Reprise)" is the more powerful ending. (Yes, I understand why the creative folks and producers didn't close the show with that one. This musical was a tough sell anyway.)

My overall opinion of the show is likely to evolve as I think back on it, but I'm very glad I saw it (even if my wife was in tears through most of the second act). I think I'm glad our next show will likely be La Cage Aux Folles.