Next to Normal, written by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, won three Tony Awards and was nominated for eight more during its original Broadway run in 2009–11. Despite this acclaim, it took the musical fifteen years to cross the pond to the UK, where it ran at the Donmar Warehouse and then West End from 2023 to 2024. Fortunately, the production was filmed from September 9 to 11, 2024, and the proshot is now available on PBS Great Performances.
In Next to Normal, the audience meets the Goodman family. Diana, played by Caissie Levy, struggles with bipolar disorder and its effects on her family. Her husband, Dan, who fights to keep the family together, is played by Jamie Parker. Jack Wolfe and Eleanor Worthington-Cox play Dan and Diana’s two children, Gabe and Natalie. The cast is rounded out by Jack Ofrecio, playing Natalie’s boyfriend Henry, and Trevor Dion Nicholas as both Dr. Madden and Dr. Fine, Diana’s psychiatrists.
While Next to Normal has several absolutely show-stopping songs, like Diana’s “I Miss the Mountains” and Gabe’s “I’m Alive,” there are also many songs that feel like filler. Even the Act II opener, “Wish I Were Here,” doesn’t carry the zing of earlier full-cast numbers such as “It’s Gonna Be Good” or “Who’s Crazy?/My Psychopharmacologist and I.” Similarly, the plot seems to suffer from pacing issues. While Act I moves rapidly as Diana’s actions seem to spiral out of control, Act II slumps in comparison. Nothing really happens for long stretches of time; brief spikes of emotion, like Diana lashing out in “You Don’t Know (Reprise),” are incongruous, and struggle to build up to anything.
At the same time, this disparity could be an illustration of Diana’s disorder itself. While Act I is manic and turbulent, Act II feels bleak, like a depressive episode. This interpretation invites further praise and exploration of Next to Normal’s ability to open up sympathetic discussions about mental illness and psychiatric practice.
Overall, the enormous talent of the cast overshadows any flaws in the book. It’s certainly worth the $5 to access the Dormar Warehouse’s production of Next to Normal on PBS at any time.
