Review: NEXT TO NORMAL is Next to Perfection at SNAP! Productions
A guest reviewer's perspective
By Natalie McGovern
At first glance, Next to Normal is the quintessential domestic scenario. We see a suburban family with a seemingly normal life in “Just Another Day.” Diana is the perfect wife, has the perfect husband (albeit he can be a bit boring,) and an angsty teenage daughter who feels invisible. It’s the “perfect, loving, family” dynamic. Just as quickly as the musical opens that façade begins to unravel. Everything is normal until one key moment: The house is “spinning,” and Diana finds herself making sandwiches for school lunches on the floor. It’s a common theme we find throughout- things end up on floor that become stationary; untouched.
Her husband Dan (Scott Van Den Top) tells her it’s time to call a doctor. Diana is struggling with severe Bipolar disorder bordering on Schizophrenic psychosis. Treatment for her condition is the only path forward in the hope of gaining stability.
Analisa Swerczek plays Diana, a mother with unresolved grief that creeps into her daily life to the point where she begins to see delusions of her son Gabe who died. As she hallucinates, he beckons to her, daring her to come closer, (“Alive.”) Nick Knipe plays the son as a 17-year-old, full of fervor and determination to not be a forgotten memory. He’s right there with her, whether in spirit or as an actual figment of her imagination. Throughout Act I we see Diana cope with so much, from cleaning-frenzy mania to sinking into deep, numbing depression. She experiments with meds that don’t work. Undergoes ECT therapy to rid her of traumatic memories. Nothing seems to get better.
Swerczek’s portrayal of Diana is raw, contemplative, and emotive. “I Miss the Mountains,” one of the more poignant numbers, depicts the life she once knew, expressing the highs and lows of feeling both euphorically manic and painfully depressive, if only just to feel something again.
The performances alone in this show are heart-wrenching and deliver strong emotional visuals. Its themes are both heavy and intense but if armed with this knowledge it’s not as jarring.
Her daughter Natalie, (Audrey Saucier) begins to spiral emotionally, delving into drugs to cope with her family’s dysfunction. She starts seeing a boy who is a stoner, Henry, (Anthony Mondragon) who has noticed her, offering a chance at something she’s been missing: love (“Perfect for You.”) Saucier’s vocal performances are especially powerful with her mixed belt, (“Everything Else, Growing Up Unstable.”)
Van Den Top plays the character of Dan with a tender warmth that really shows his love and care for Diana, desperately seeking to find a cure. Evocative moments during “A Light in the Dark,” really hit home.
Justin Parsley plays two different roles fluidly as psychopharmacologist and psychiatrist Dr. Fine and Dr. Madden, attempting to medicate his patient with every form of treatment available. Dr. Fine is methodical in his approach to seeking stability; Dr. Madden is on the cutting edge of psychiatry with advocating for electroshock therapy.
Next to Normal’s score is catchy, engaging, and follows the structure of so many well-known contemporary musicals with rich harmonies and nuanced storytelling. Composed in 2009 by Tom Kitt with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, it won three Tony Awards and the Pulitzer for Best Drama in 2010. Piano driven interludes with an accompanying rock band back up the powerhouse vocals of this talented cast, directed by Joey Hartshorn. The creative team does a flawless job with lighting, sound, and set to integrate a very believable story together that plays with the suspension of disbelief.
SNAP! Production’s version of this modern rock musical encapsulates what immersive theatre is supposed to be: in your face performances so raw that they feel real. In this type of space every note sung is not only heard but felt. The emotional performances alone serve as an anchor for the psychological journey of this piece.
Next to Normal draws attention to a bigger issue and one that is often overlooked: a conversation about mental health and crisis when it’s needed most. When examining the experience of loss and grief or trauma in life, what truly defines normalcy? In an era where mental health is being brought to the forefront and slowly destigmatized, it’s an important conversation to have. SNAP! Productions has partnered with organizations like NAMI Nebraska and Community Alliance to bring attention to mental health awareness and to provide resources for these heavy topics.
Next to Normal doesn’t shy away from shining light on the hard to talk about topics of mental illness.
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