What's with all the N2N hate? — Page 2

Well, he's basically having a conversation with a metaphor, but that could be the case, too. Stress induced hallucination perhaps. Either explanation could make sense. I just loved it. I thought I had the basics of the plot going in. I am glad I didn't.

I ended up losing one of the most important people in my life two days later. She was 18. So many elements of the show stuck with me for that reason. I am sure it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it was mine.

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People can take charge of their own mental health by finding a treatment that's right for them. That's what I like to assume Diana does.

Why what?

and Elphaba3, I agree that often the best way is to take responsibility by seeking appropriate help, but even the best treatment center wont help someone who doesn't want to change.

I'ved never thought that the show PROMOTES the choices that Diana makes. It is what SHE needs to do, or at least what she believes she needs to do. Her future is uncertain...but the rest of the family needs to get on with their own lives...and in Dan's case take care of his own healing over Gabe. I always took the final scene to show us that Dan never did either, because he needed to take care of Diana so never dealt with his own grieving...now he can attend to that.

As far as NOT knowing what Gabe is: the creative doesn't even agree about that. But I do agree he's never a "memory". How could he be when he died as a baby but is only visualized as an 18 year old. However, you have to admit, if you are going to be dillussional about your dead son, conjuring him up to look like Tviet OR Kyle is a great way to go!!!

About the hate? People just love to complain about any award: the Tonys, the Pulitzer -- it doesn't really matter. A similar thread would have started about any show that rec'd it. I don't mean to say that these people are manufacturing their dislike of the show, only that awards dredge up those feelings.

It's art...it's subjective.

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Because every show has people who don't like it?

Truer words have rarely been heard in these parts!

I rated NEXT TOR NORMAL * * * 1/2 (OUT OF 5) liking the production a little more than the show, and giving top marks to the cast. the score was interesting but lacked unity, and was at times needlessly complex. I liked that the book did not try and provide easy answers but ambiguity can be frustrating at times. Still I felt it was good (though not outstanding) material enhanced by tight direction an a spectacular cast of singer/actors.

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Updated On: 4/13/10 at 02:56 AM

newintown

I just have to disagree. i think the issue didn't have to be "delved" into anymore. I think a musical simply about the struggles of the family, with NO resolution is part of what makes the show brilliant. I am tired of open close musicals. This one left me hanging, emotional and kind of dazed. I am glad this show was not written to explain bi polar or depression, but simply showed what it can do to someone. As for the lyrics, I could not disagree more, I think that the show is one of the best written in the past five years. I personally loved Light in the Piazza but the music although pretty, was unmemorable. Drowsy although was entertaining to watch at times, rather bored me.

As far as NOT knowing what Gabe is: the creative doesn't even agree about that. But I do agree he's never a "memory". How could he be when he died as a baby but is only visualized as an 18 year old. However, you have to admit, if you are going to be dillussional about your dead son, conjuring him up to look like Tviet OR Kyle is a great way to go!!!

That last line is great drama : )

***Spoiler***
Another interpretation is that her mental illness stemmed from loss of her son, the guilt of it tortured her over the years.

I did enjoy the show, the music and performances are great but I did not leave loving the show, probably because of the depressing story line.

I have a HUUUGE problem with people labeling this show 'Lifetime'. Are the issues of a woman's grief and mental illness so trivial that any exploration of it must be dismissed as MOW(Movie of the Week)?

I find the execution of this show avoids many of the traps of the MOWs. The ambiguous approach to Diana's decisions about her treatment, the disintigration of the marriage over the illness, the exploration of drug use by the daughter that never actually turns into a 'problem' to be solved. And the fact that, in the end, she is not 'cured' and she has to remove herself from her family so that everyone can find some kind of way to live their lives. None of these things would have been explored in a tyical MOW. And it shocks me that people are so quick to label it as such.

I get having problems with the structure, execution, what have you. But this show, in no way, trades on MOW conventions to tell its story. Save for the fact that it is about a woman and her issues.

Hate no; strongly disliked yes. I'll reserve "hate" for crap like The Addamms Family, Mamma Mia, Million Dollar Quartet, etc. I praise Next to Normal for its originality, but it just didn't do it for me. I appreciate the work that Alice Ripley put into her character, but her raspy voice annoyed the hell out of me. Also, the photos of the cast on the 45th Street side of the theater creep me out every time I walk by.

Updated On: 4/13/10 at 02:20 PM

I completely agree with RobbieJ. The trivializing of Alice's story as a Lifetime movie is all too reminiscent of Torvald's attitude towards Nora in A Doll's House. Now, if you want to make comparisons of Next to Normal with A Doll's House, I think it is more than appropriate, but I don't see any resemblance to a made-for-cable soapy camp-fest.

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That's a good question. If I knew what would make it better, I would be a writer, I suppose.

I can say that nothing about the show surprised me, or seemed other than expected (except for the shocker-spoiler, which I was beginning to suspect just before the revelation). I love to be surprised, to see something I don't expect.

I found the treatment of the doctor(s) to be trivial - I've heard that the medical profession was mocked more in earlier productions of the show, but I still found the doctors to be presented as slightly foolish and two-dimensional.

I felt that all 3 family members wallowed in their tragedy; what I find more interesting than tears and screaming is seeing how people try to make their lot better.

The character of the daughter, in particular, was vexing - a stereotypical moody, angry, overly articulate teen. Not that they don't exist, I just don't find them interesting. I didn't see what set her apart from, gave her more texture than any other moody teenage girl from a basic cable series.

And (to me) the worst aspect was that none of the comedy/lighter moments ("I'll be up for sex in a minute") was funny. "Funny," of course, being the most relative term of all. And that made it feel turgid, self-important, and quasi-solemn to me.

N2N must be one of the worst musicals to open on Broadway in the last 20 years, nothing like the excellent 'Rock of Ages', that has brilliant music and lyrics, excellent book and so well acted out, complete opposite to 'Next to Normal'.