‘A brashly assured work on a troublesome topic’ – Next To Normal assessment

Maybe it was inevitable that somebody would give you a musical addressing points reminiscent of Bipolar Disorder, nervousness, despair and schizophrenia.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning crew of Brian Yorkey (e book & lyrics) and Tom Kitt (music) don’t fiddle; from the opening music Just Another Day, which concludes with suburban housewife Diana (Caissie Levy) laying out slices of bread throughout the ground to make sandwiches, it’s clear that there’s something wonky in her psychological state.

While son Gabe (Jack Wolfe) and daughter Natalie (Eleanor Worthington-Cox) flit out and in of the motion, husband Dan (Jamie Parker) hovers solicitously and gently coaxes her again to ‘normal’.

As her situation deteriorates and it turns into clear that one of many characters shouldn’t be fairly what they look like, more and more invasive therapies are suggested by her two medical doctors – each performed beautifully by Trevor Dion Nicholas.

Fistfulls of drugs and ECT result in reminiscence loss and fantasy as she gravitates from emotional dependence to self-imposed isolation.

This slick and sassy musical charting a life lived within the enigmatic agony of bipolar dysfunction is nearly sung by means of, punctuated by temporary snatches of dialogue.

Punched up by Broadway smarts within the lyrics, the various music from the completed band above the stage shifts with an imperceptible effort from present tune pastiche to city hoedown and from fragile-as-glass lament to guitar-driven opera rock with full-fat emotional content material.

A brashly assured work on a troublesome topic, it advantages from the excellent performances of actors/singers who ship on each stage.

Next To Normal, Donmar Theatre till October 7, Tickets: 020 3282 3808