Next To Normal WEST END - News & Discussion Thread- Page 10

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/29/25 at 1:11pm

steven22 said: "I really hope so too! Ihave a feelingit’s from the liveperformance filming, though. I hope I’m wrong."

The album sounds like the live recording to me but with some editing and re-recording to erase all the applause at the end of tracks.

[steven22]

Posted: 5/30/25 at 9:17am

What do we think of the London cast recording? I’m in the middle of it now and adore it. I was lucky to see it at the Donmar twice and the west end transfer once. I saw the original production many times and it remains one of my favorite shows ever. 
 

The biggest question I have: why in the world isn’t this coming to NYC for a limited run somewhere?! 

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 5/30/25 at 10:20am

iluvtheatertrash said: "“Dear Bill” is not a gay story. Jak Malone is a non-binary performer and is playing a woman in that moment (they all play multiple characters)."

DaisyHilton2 said: "FYI Jak Malone is not non-binary. His pronouns are he/him:https://www.instagram.com/jakmalone_/"

Oh, thank you for the information. So "Operation Mincemeat" doesn't have gay characters. Whoops.

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 5/30/25 at 1:53pm

steven22 said: "The biggest question I have: why in the world isn’t this coming to NYC for a limited run somewhere?!"

The key to opening this on Broadway is the entire London cast. Especially Caisse Levy, but she's got two shows lined up next season. 

[FolliesCabaret]

Posted: 5/30/25 at 4:21pm

Ah, so it seems the quality and pristine production of Sunset Boulevard's album was the exception, not the rule, to London's live cast albums. Shame, as I really like a lot of the acting choices I'm hearing (even from Caissie, who I have never been a particular fan of acting wise.) Glad to have another version of this great score recorded, even if the recording in question is muddy as hell.

[joshdog2014]

Posted: 5/30/25 at 5:32pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "It’s available through digital/streaming, with a CD and (for the first time) vinyl release coming later this year.

"

Slightly off-topic but the pro-shot and new album got me digging into this promise of an OBCR vinyl that never seemed to come to fruition. I was about to complain about them getting my hopes up for nothing, but lo and behold pre-orders for June 13 have quietly been put up on Amazon, Target, and various record-store websites!

Updated On: 5/30/25 at 05:32 PM

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 5/30/25 at 11:47pm

CATSNYrevival said: "steven22 said: "I really hope so too! Ihave a feelingit’s from the liveperformance filming, though. I hope I’m wrong."

The album sounds like the live recording to me but with some editing and re-recording to erase all the applause at the end of tracks."

100% agree.  I'm glad we have a new recording of the score, but it's really disappointing it's not a high-quality studio recording.  I'm honestly a bit surprised Tom Kitt would allow such a poor quality recording of his score.  

[binau]

Posted: 5/31/25 at 4:59am

I think the Sunset Boulevard album IS an exception because there was a lot of money invested into the recording of it - for example as I understand it they didn't just take the soundboard and whack it on a record, they also had microphones in the theatre to capture the fullness of the theatre which prevents it from sounding like a stale soundboard. 

For next to normal, the west end transfer unfortunately didn't sell as well as I think they would have hoped so there wasn't exactly loads of money around to invest in things like a proshot or cast recording - and yet somehow somewhere people made it happen. 

Personally, as a fan I'm much more happy we have this than we don't. I already had ripped the sound from the proshot but the editing/mixing of this version is much better. It's not the best live recording I've heard, but it's certainly no where near the worst. 

I think Tom Kitt is just more concerned about keeping the show relevant and alive - which I think this production has done in a big, big way. 

My favourite contemporary musical - one that I saw Alice Ripley do on tour (and her understudy on Broadway lol), recently in Barcelona again, was able to see Marin and her Husband, a couple other international productions. To have this premier at the Donmar, which Sondheim described as the best theatre in the English speaking world, then mature for a West End transfer, then to get recorded etc.. it's all like a dream come true, genuinely. I have no complaints. 

The show is the closest thing to therapy I can think of - and it lives on. 

I still remember when next to normal started previews here I think it was Whizzer who said they hope next to normal find an audience but they aren't sure if it will. The grosses were terrible - it was a bit like a Maybe Happy Ending situation (but not quite as exceptional because the running costs were low - about 250-300k per week according to the NyTimes although it was 2009). Then things took off, it won the Pulitzer etc. 

The show truly has stood the test of time. It has aged surprisingly well. Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone who is involved!

Updated On: 5/31/25 at 04:59 AM

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 5/31/25 at 1:48pm

I’m loving the album. Especially the dialogue and bits of music that didn’t make it on the original album. Of course I wish it was a clearer studio recording, but I’m glad to have this.

[FolliesCabaret]

Posted: 5/31/25 at 1:59pm

Ah, to be honest, if I had known it was just the PBS audio put on streaming, I probably would have held back my comments. Although the overall quality isn't my favorite here, I actually wish they'd do this more, especially if it's between this and no cast album at all.

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/1/25 at 9:49am

FolliesCabaret said: "Ah, so it seems the quality and pristine production of Sunset Boulevard's album was the exception, not the rule, to London's live cast albums. Shame, as I really like a lot of the acting choices I'm hearing (even from Caissie, who I have never been a particular fan of acting wise.."

Thank you. Never been a fan of her acting but in Next To Normal she is exquisite in every single choice.  I saw Ragtime between my Donmar and PBS viewings and maybe she just seems too modern for Mother?  She disappointed me though(obviously not vocally) but I fell in love with her again watching the proshot.