Next to Normal - Donmar / Wyndham’s

WELL, I saw the show last night. A 3 star - JUST - from me.

I went into this blindly - other than knowing the subject matter and the huge buzz around it - and wanted to love it, but just found it too flawed to embrace it.

I really wish I had listened to the music first because that was the biggest source of my disappointment. So, SO "21st century Broadway" - that bland, soft rock musical pallete that seems to apply to most musicals written since "Rent". The screechy, belt-orientated vocals too - incredibly grating on me!

There was very little that was truly theatrical satisfying about the show apart from the son's role. That was the only truly interesting element of the whole show, for me.

For a character that was mainly supposed to be experience bipolar disorder, I'm puzzled they (the director, or the writers- don't know as I haven't seen any other production) choose to focus on her depressive characteristics instead. Making Diana so shut down and numb most of the time - having a lead character with those qualities is a struggle to connect with.

I cared more about Dan. The daughter was just annoying most of the time. But I get that me as a 40 something man with no children is unlikely to relate to a 16 year old girl too. Which is why I found the subplot so unengaging. I would rather they showed more of Diana's experiences out in the world - she didn't seem to have a life beyond her home or the various healthcare facilities. I found that frustratingly limiting to the story (or lack of).

There was some very interesting, affecting and enjoyable dialogue and lyrics here and there. I wish there had been more. Instead, much of the lyrics were very predictable (I found myself pre-empting the lines in my head)

The performances were all round superb (with the material they had to work with - the Pulitzer prize accolade is baffling to me - but perhaps it's the inherently American style of the piece that I didn't connect with. I think I may have enjoyed it more had it been set in the UK/British characters)

I will revisit the cast recording as I feel there were a handful of good numbers (although there were just TOO.MANY.SONGS - not enough time for the piece to breathe)

Pretty much full standing ovation, and I can probably see why this show has become such a cult show people obsess about - because it does hit a lot of contemporary musical theatre sweet spots.   Lots of sobs around me, but I felt strangely unmoved. If we'd had more of an insight into Diana, I might have felt for her some more about her plight.

But this was not really for me. It could have been so much better to me, if executed differently.

NB. Having read the comments I had no issues with Jamie Parker's singing. I thought it was excellent - maybe some of you are wedded the the original cast recording? Ironically from reading into previous comments, this does seem to be more a "singer's show" and the acting seems secondary to the audience.


I've since read The Guardian review and pretty much agree with every point they make.