REVIEW
Next to Normal
Where: Langham Court Theatre
When: Until Oct. 15
Tickets: $15-$32
Reservations: 250-384-2142
Info: langhamtheatre.ca
Rating: three and a half stars (out of five)
After declaring that “I don’t feel myself” in a scene from Next to Normal, suburban mother Diana Goodman goes one step further, lamenting that “I don’t feel anything.”
The same cannot be said for theatregoers who are as brave and risk-taking as Langham Court Theatre’s board was when it dared to produce what could hardly be described as a feel-good musical.
Once you get into the stylistic groove of this Tony Award-winning rock musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, you will feel plenty, which is something of a miracle considering how off-putting it appears at the start.
This is a musical about grief and mental illness, after all, which at first glance seems like an oxymoron or a bad joke.
Indeed, a show like this doesn’t suggest we’re in for razzle-dazzle production numbers or showtunes often associated with Broadway, which isn’t to say Next to Normal lacks at least a few memorable numbers.
While this musical might be a tougher sell than Langham Court Theatre’s outstanding production of The Drowsy Chaperone because of its grim subject matter, it’s a show discerning audiences should consider.
Efficiently staged by Gregg Perry, who effectively uses Caroline Mitic’s minimalist, monochromatic and metaphoric set, this small-scale musical navigates a complex emotional minefield with escalating intensity.
It does take some time to become truly emotionally involved, however, largely once a crucial plot twist that has apparently contributed to its central character’s mental condition kicks in.
Diana (Francesca Bitonti), we learn, was diagnosed many years ago with bipolar disorder. Next to Normal chronicles not just this suburban housewife’s own attempts to understand why she is so afflicted, and how it can best be alleviated, but the impact of her disorder on her family. This includes her endlessly supportive husband Dan (Dwayne Gordon), her teenage daughter Natalie (Molly Lydon) and son Gabe (Zander Felton).
Her condition becomes obvious as we watch her impulsively disinfecting her house, deciding to have sex on a moment’s notice and frenetically making sandwiches on the floor. Bitonti embodies her character’s complexity with raw conviction as she dramatizes this and, tired of having her emotions muted, flushes her prescription meds down the toilet while belting out I Miss the Mountains (“I miss my life”).
Both musically and dramatically, Bitonti effectively conveys Diana’s characteristics, from her self-deprecating humour to her fierce decisiveness that sends her family into an emotional tailspin.
Another musical highlight is her ferociously cynical rendition of Didn’t I See This Movie?, in which she amusingly references mental-illness movie clichés and characters from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Gordon, whose impressive vocal range is particularly notable during A Light in the Dark, is also deeply affecting as her steadfast, long-suffering husband whose reluctant advocacy of radical therapy is heartbreaking.
As their over-achieving daughter, Lydon authentically conveys the anger, fear and hostility of a young woman who feels cheated and is worried she’s destined to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
Lydon also shines musically in Perfect for You, her Sondheim-esque duet with Henry, her amiable stoner would-be boyfriend portrayed with persuasive perseverance and affability by Rowan Wolfe.
She also impresses in Wish I Were Here, her duet with her hospitalized mother with whom she appears to be sharing a hallucination.
In the demanding role of Diana’s enabling golden child, Felton is a suitably magnetic presence, effectively using his good looks and physicality in a show in which movement counts, notably in his I’m Alive number.
Craig Wilson provides comic relief when it’s needed most in the dual role of Diana’s physicians — one who prescribes mood-altering drugs, the other a psychotherapist who suggests electroconvulsive therapy.
He’s particularly amusing in a number that reminds you that for all its musical detours this is essentially a rock opera, when his pill-pushing doctor, as perceived by Diana, morphs into a screeching rock star.
While the score for Next to Normal is hit-and-miss, music director Steve Horak and his onstage seven-piece band literally rock. But this show won’t be confused with Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Yes, there are some terrific electric guitar riffs and throaty, high-pitched vocals, yet the score also has soft falsetto moments and occasionally recalls Rent and even Les Miserables in terms of musical storytelling.
Indeed, Next to Normal can be heartwrenching (sniffles could be heard opening night), yet it’s ultimately uplifting and succeeds despite its narrative weaknesses.
