Jun 28, 20246 min read

Review: Next To Normal (Wyndham's Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

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Last year saw the highly anticipated and long awaited London premiere of Next To Normal for an acclaimed run at Donmar Warehouse. Wowing critics and audiences and garnering nominations at every theatre awards going, it truly was one of the best musicals of the year, and one of my personal favourites. So when it was announced that Donmar production was transferring to the West End complete with its original cast, hopes were high, though there was always that little bit of doubt if the success could be repeated and same impact be felt in a far larger space. Would it ever be able to match the high standard from last year’s production?

Premiering on Broadway in 2009, Next To Normal centres around the Goodman family exploring mental illness, loss, grief and the nature of family itself. At its centre is Diana Goodman (Caissie Levy) whose past comes back to haunt her, having repercussions for the entire family in this intimate exploration into each of the four family members. If that sounds a bit vaguer than my usual plot summaries, it is a bit tricky to describe what the show is really about without spoiling it, and I truly believe everyone should witness this show with all its twists and turns for themselves, and to know one major plot point would spoil an impactful moment.

There are several reasons why I find Next To Normal to be such a special show – one of the main ones is the quality of Brian Yorkey’s book. With no shortage of heavy topics to unpack throughout the story, it is handled with sensitivity rather than sensationalism. There is a gritty authenticity to the very real way Diana and her family deal with her illness and the quality of the writing perfectly encapsulates that. Yorkey’s writing takes a bold approach as it isn’t afraid to let audiences laugh while never belittling the situation or serious issues being played out. The connective factor of the writing is what makes Next To Normal resonate – you may be laughing one moment, and feeling searing pain while the tears pour down a moment later. Rather than shamelessly attempt to exploit emotions for a cheap reaction, every teardrop feels very much earned in a moving and powerful story.

Brian Yorkey also delivers the same high quality in his lyrics which pairs perfectly with Tom Kitt’s music to create a pulsing and urgent rock score. With each song furthering the story, the quality starts high and never falters, creating a consistency throughout. With no shortage of highlights, standouts include the strong opening of ‘Just Another Day’, integral moment ‘Superboy And The Invisible Girl’, and the powerful ‘Maybe’. With expert musical supervision from Nigel Lilley and musical direction from Nick Barstow, the songs have never sounded better as they do reverberating around the Wyndham’s Theatre with Tony Gayle’s sound design delivering a more particular approach for their varying styles, bringing more heart to the tender numbers and more of a pulsing energy to the rockier ones.

Michael Longhurst transfers his already impressive direction from the Donmar Warehouse to the bigger stage of the Wyndham’s in the West End. While the essence of the show and his original direction remains, what surprised me is how different certain moments are, as subtle as some of these changes are. One key moment saw the first half of act one feeling a lot more frantic as the action and direction mirrors that of Diana’s character, as if we are seeing the world through her eyes. These bold touches furthers the connective factor integral to why this show works so well. Whereas the Donmar run benefitted from playing to an intimate audience surrounding the stage on three sides, nothing is lost from this grander approach. In fact, it improves on last year’s production in many ways, with a much clearer view throughout meaning all audience members get to see some crucial moments they have missed the first time. When this transfer was announced, I must admit being sceptical on if it would lose something from losing the intimacy. However, the opportunity to scale up has resulted in new potential being unlocked from the source material in a production that frequently feels bigger and better than before.

One of the most impressive factors in last year’s Donmar run was that of its tight six strong cast. With all six delivering exceptional work on the stage, it was no wonder why they bagged a few Olivier nominations between them and won other theatre awards for their performances. I honestly didn’t think they could get any better than the remarkable level they achieved last year. I was wrong. Partly due to the grander production value this time around but mostly down to the time they have spent playing the roles, the cast have become so intuitive for what makes their characters tick and the results are clear to see in six performances that take what was already extraordinary and defy all expectations.

This is most true for Caissie Levy who takes on the central figure of Diana Goodman. From a distant look in her eyes and new mannerisms being unlocked which demonstrates Diana’s struggles, Levy takes a standout performance and makes it even stronger. In one of the greatest feats of acting I have ever seen, Levy captivates with every moment she is on stage in a poignant and powerful portrayal. With natural emotion, her abilities as an actress are awe-inspiring to witness, and her vocals even better. From the tender way she performs ‘I Miss The Mountains’ leading to a new big finish to the anger of ‘Didn’t I See This Movie’, she marvels at every turn in a performance I truly believe would have earned her a well-deserved Olivier Award had it been any other year.

Jamie Parker breaks hearts as Diana’s husband Dan, showcasing enormous versatility as he demonstrates the complexities of the position he has found itself in as he tries to do what’s best for his wife and his family, even if this may not always seem clear at face value. Getting some key musical moments in ‘I’ve Been’ and ‘I Am The One’, it is one painfully emotional moment towards the show’s climax which truly showcases Parker’s range and skills. Equally emotive is Eleanor Worthington-Cox as invisible girl Natalie. Utterly spellbinding to watch, Worthington-Cox has the ability to convey every emotion of her character with nothing more than her eyes. A hard watch at times, given how overlooked her character has been, she astounds at every opportunity with her varying dynamic between all of her fellow characters showcasing how talented a performer she is.

A standout among the consistently incredible cast is Jack Wolfe in his portrayal of Gabe. Every choice he makes in his characterisation is a testament to Wolfe’s abilities as an actor in a complicated and difficult role few would be able to portray quite like this. Simultaneously managing to convey a sweetness while a dark, sinister side comes into the light, Wolfe’s performance this time around was chilling. From the most subtle of stares to the delivery of his words to the way he skulks across the stage, if Wolfe’s performance was sensational last year, this year he has reached a whole new level of genius. As for his vocals, they are on another level entirely, with his rousing and spine-tingling rendition of ‘I’m Alive’ the standout performance in the whole show.

The cast are completed by two characters who aren’t a part of the Goodman family (yet). First up is Jack Ofrecio as Natalie’s boyfriend Henry. The most grounded character of the six, he brings a sense of stability and maturity beyond his years in an accomplished performance that endears him to the entire audience. Another actor who has improved massively since last year, 2024 Henry feels more confident and important to the story. Last but by no means least is the always astonishing Trevor Dion Nicholas in the comparatively small but certainly memorable dual roles of Dr Fine and Dr madden. Showcasing his world-class vocals, he quite literally channels his inner rock star and the story is all the better for it.

It is no secret how much I loved Next To Normal last year as my repeat visits to the show testified. I was worried I may not feel the same love this time around and to an extent, I didn’t. While the changes may be subtle, they have transformed the show into something new, unlocking certain elements and feelings that were missing last year. The love I felt this time around was something fresh, as if I was seeing the show for the first time. With a cast on top form, obliterating the memories of last year’s near-perfect performances and even tighter direction this time around, the result is pure clarity in what may be the best version of this show to date. Not the easiest of watches but a crucial one and the perfect example of how theatre can tell important stories that resonate with you. I always say theatre at its best can make you feel and that is never truer than it is for Next To Normal. The kind of show of which you have not seen anything like before, you may need to bring a pack of tissues with you but this is musical theatre at its very best.