Next To Normal WEST END - News & Discussion Thread- Page 3

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 9:10pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Seeing it in a couple weeks. Or less now, I guess, this year is just flying by.

I have no idea what future plans for this production are but I have heard talk of Levy being involved in another production aiming for Broadway early-ish next year."

It would be the same production if it transfers, this has a dozen Broadway producers already attached"

I think Jordan is referring to Levy also being attached to The Lost Boys.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 9:11pm

(double post)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 9:40pm

Actually, no. lol

 

[broadwayboy924]

Posted: 6/25/24 at 12:16pm

I just saw this Saturday night during my trip to London and it gave me all the feels. I never had the opportunity to see the original Broadway production so I really don't have anything to compare to (other than the OBC), but I thought this was an outstanding production.  The cast across the board was perfection. I feel like the creative team did a good job in maintaining the intimate feel of the show even with it now being on the West End.  

I believe the show is still in previews for a little longer, the show's video designer sat next to me the second half of the show taking notes, but this show seemed more than ready to me. Someone mentioned earlier about how the cast can bring that emotion every night and I can totally see where they are coming from, these actors are living these characters that have so much pain and are giving so much each night.  Only Jack Wolfe (Gabe) came out after the show (I was so thrilled to meet him!), considering how draining this show probably is for the actors, I wouldn't be surprised if the stage door cast exits are less regular than maybe some other shows.

Their performance from West End Live is up on YouTube and definitely worth checking out.  It at least gives you a taste of how amazing this cast sounds, but you need to see the full show to really appreciate this production.

And I personally love the logo/key art but that's just me lol

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 11:55am

They share their London press night tonight with Mean Girls — some are calling it FETCH TO NORMAL, like a West End Barbenheimer. 

[binau]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 1:19pm

Going to press night tonight! 

[infinitefoxes]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 1:33pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "They share their London press night tonight withMean Girls— someare calling itFETCH TO NORMAL, like a West End Barbenheimer."

I've also seen people calling it 'Normal Girls' which I think is pretty funny. 

On another note, I saw a clip of the stage door for N2N that they posted on their socials - it's a little more than the couple dozen or less outside the Donmar that's for sure! It truly speaks to the professionalism and heart of this cast that they can come out and speak to so many people after performing what must be one of the most emotionally draining shows there is. I just hope it doesn't get too crazy as there have been a couple of stage door horror stories coming out the West End recently.  

[steven22]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 1:44pm

Any news on a cast recording from this production? 

[binau]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 2:02pm

We NEED a cast recording. But there doesn’t seem to be any buzz at the moment. There are so many Broadway producers involved can someone pls find the rich investors in New York who pay for this pls. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 2:47pm

I cannot agree more that we need a full cast recording! The acoustic versions they recorded are great but they lack the energy of the full band. I cannot wait to see this in September! 

[binau]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 3:20pm

It’s hard to add much more because I’ve spoken about it to death but I notice the projections have probably been amped up too from the donmar. Also, we need to be real the production is clearly inspired by the original Michael Greif staging. This is not a Jamie Lloyd sunset radical reinterpretation. I think that’s partly why it works. But we have to give credit where credit is due. 

[binau]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 4:35pm

The show is the most beautiful thing in London right now. And ****ing across the road from where Judy Garland had her concerts. This is the next Broadway revival. I just can’t see it any other way. 

[steven22]

Posted: 6/26/24 at 4:43pm

binau said: "The show is the most beautiful thing in London right now. And ****ing across the road from where Judy Garland had her concerts. This is the next Broadway revival. I just can’t see it any other way."

I just booked a quick trip for mid July and I can’t wait! 

[DurantPlummer41]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 10:18pm

Any possibility of this extending 2 weeks? I am going to be in London the first week of October. Sad to miss it again. I just missed it last year at the donmar.

[binau]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 4:29am

Sales are a little soft right now. Chances looking unlikely unless things pick up. 

[infinitefoxes]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 2:32pm

I know it was invite only so it’s maybe unlikely but did anybody here see the cover run of this today? Would love to know how the cast got on. 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 7:17pm

It’s a great production of a highly overrated show (I get I’m the minority), but it’s a rare example of Act II being incredibly superior to the first. Next To Normal is a frustrating endeavor for me because no matter how hard a director tries, it’s a 2000s period piece. Until a show rectifies that, I’m not sure I need to see it again. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 7:49pm

BroadwayNYC2 said: "It’s a great production of a highly overrated show (I get I’m the minority), but it’s a rare example of Act II being incredibly superior to the first. Next To Normal is a frustrating endeavor for me because no matter how hard a director tries, it’s a 2000s period piece. Until a show rectifies that, I’m not sure I need to see it again."

How, pray tell, is this a period piece?

I saw the original Broadway production when I was 15 and now, half a lifetime and 10 years of a behavioral health career later, I don’t think anything about this show makes it a period piece - especially considering how the field of mental health and illness is still very similar to how it is portrayed in the show. Even some of the references to treatments have been updated, including one to TCMS.

I also saw the show tonight and was absolutely blown away. This HAS to be the next Broadway revival and this might be Caissie Levy’s strongest case for a long overdue Tony Award. I also usually know at what point in the show I start to feel my feelings pretty hard (usually the end of Act I), and tonight, I was down for the count by “I Miss The Mountains”. It was just electric, magnetic, powerful, and my only regret is that I don’t have the time to see it again while I’m here.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 8:30pm

quizking101 said: "How, pray tell, is this a period piece?"

I was wondering that, too. I was also wondering how being a "period piece" could be a negative criticism, anyhow. Hair is a period piece par excellence and that does not detract from its impact or stature - quite the contrary.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 9:11pm

BroadwayNYC2 said: "It’s a great production of a highly overrated show (I get I’m the minority), but it’s a rare example of Act II being incredibly superior to the first. Next To Normal is a frustrating endeavor for me because no matter how hard a director tries, it’s a 2000s period piece. Until a show rectifies that, I’m not sure I need to see it again."


Huh?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 9:43pm

They did a great job updating this production so it doesn’t look like its from aaaaalllllllllll the way back in 2008. They took out the scene where Diana goes to the hospital in the horse and buggy and Gabe is no longer a Victorian era ghost wearing chains. Natalie is a high school student now instead of working in the factory and Dr. Madden is now a real doctor who doesn’t try to cure Diana by using a vibrator. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 10:05pm

Jordan Catalano said: "They did a great job updating this production so it doesn’t look like its from aaaaalllllllllll the way back in 2008. Theytook out the scene where Diana goes to the hospital in the horse and buggy and Gabe is no longer a Victorian era ghost wearing chains. Natalie is a high school student now instead of working in the factory and Dr. Madden is now a real doctor who doesn’t try to cure Diana by using a vibrator."


No respect for the text.

 

(I’m crying)

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/24/24 at 6:27am

Jordan Catalano said: "They did a great job updating this production so it doesn’t look like its from aaaaalllllllllll the way back in 2008. Theytook out the scene where Diana goes to the hospital in the horse and buggy and Gabe is no longer a Victorian era ghost wearing chains. Natalie is a high school student now instead of working in the factory and Dr. Madden is now a real doctor who doesn’t try to cure Diana by using a vibrator."

The cackle I just let out scared a few patrons at the Tottenham Court Road station.

You forgot the part where Henry is a young revolutionary against the monarchy trying to unionize Natalie’s factory and Dan is the only one who provides the consent for Diana’s vibrator treatment because women had no bodily autonomy in the original story.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 7/24/24 at 7:05pm

Yes 2000 and whatever ain’t too far ago (are the 2000s not a period?), but I’ve found the show has aged poorly and feels incredibly tied to its premiere date. But, I get many adore this show so I’m clearly the minority, but it’s going to take more than a renovated kitchen in this production to disassociate it from 2008

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/24/24 at 7:14pm

But you didn’t answer the fundamental question - exactly WHAT about this makes this tied to the time it was written/debuted?

If you can answer that, then your argument/opinion/whatever would hold a lot more water.

It’s not like ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST which, given how it depicts psychiatric hospitals and treatments now considered barbaric (lobotomies being the main one), THAT makes it a period piece since it’s realistic, but connected to the past way and how things were