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The things we notice when we turn down the volume
"Next to Normal' at the Arden (1st review)
Steve Cohen
I've admired Next to Normal since its Broadway bow in 2009, but I never loved it until I saw it this week at the Arden Theater.
Like August: Osage County, which Terrence J. Nolen directed so effectively for the Arden last year, it's a serious story laced with some humor. The central character, Diana, suffers from bi-polar disorder; her husband, Dan, is ineffective and her daughter, Natalie, is neglected. All are haunted by the memory of a son who died in infancy 16 years earlier.
Nolen's strong direction convincingly conveys their suffering and lends a new and persuasive tone to this family musical drama. I'm speaking of much more than blocking the actors' moves or the quality of the sets. The subtle nuances of the actors and musicians, the lighting (by Thom Weaver) and sound design (by Daniel Perilstein) combined to create a troubled and eerie world, one that differed markedly from any of the previous productions I've seen, including one just last month at Steel River Playhouse in Pottstown. (To read that review, click here.)
The original Broadway mounting looked and sounded like a rock concert, with scaffolding and a heavily amplified band that undermined the story's intimacy. Nolen, by contrast, brought out the quiet yet deep emotions of a family dealing with illness and loss. The visual projections by Jorge Cousineau suggested the characters' states of mind without becoming distracting.
Virtues of restraint
Michael Starobin's original orchestrations were employed here as well, but they sounded better, even with six musicians rather than seven. Conductor/pianist Eric Ebbenga kept the volume moderate, revealing the diaphanous, gossamer tapestry that Tom Kitt wrote for violin, cello and keyboards.
The cast members demonstrated similar restraint, lowering their volume for many of the play's most emotional lines instead of belting them. Most notably, James Barry's half-whispered words as Dan, the husband, carried great weight. Kristine Fraelich, as a quiet and intense Diana, embodied the flat sadness of a medicated bi-polar.
Brian Yorkey's script makes Diana appear relatively normal in her opening scenes; only later are we told— not shown— that she has run naked on the street, crashed a car and burned down a house. Alice Ripley, who played Diana on Broadway and on tour, handled that problem by playing high-strung and manic most of the time. Hers was a magnificent performance, but Fraelich quietly generated more sympathy for the character.
Intense duet
Especially intense were the last act duet between Diana and Dan, "How Could I Ever Forget?" and the duet between Diana and her daughter, who sings, "I don't need a life that's normal,/ That's way too far away./ But something next to normal would be OK."
Rachel Camp made an attractive and appealing Natalie and sang beautifully. Michael Doherty, as her classmate/boyfriend, admirably conveyed his devotion to Natalie with a goofy and endearing smile and sweet voice. Robert Hager was haunting as the son who tries to remain alive in his parents' memories. Brian Hissong did a fine job as two of Diana's psychiatrists.♦
To read another review by Jackie Atkins, click here.
Like August: Osage County, which Terrence J. Nolen directed so effectively for the Arden last year, it's a serious story laced with some humor. The central character, Diana, suffers from bi-polar disorder; her husband, Dan, is ineffective and her daughter, Natalie, is neglected. All are haunted by the memory of a son who died in infancy 16 years earlier.
Nolen's strong direction convincingly conveys their suffering and lends a new and persuasive tone to this family musical drama. I'm speaking of much more than blocking the actors' moves or the quality of the sets. The subtle nuances of the actors and musicians, the lighting (by Thom Weaver) and sound design (by Daniel Perilstein) combined to create a troubled and eerie world, one that differed markedly from any of the previous productions I've seen, including one just last month at Steel River Playhouse in Pottstown. (To read that review, click here.)
The original Broadway mounting looked and sounded like a rock concert, with scaffolding and a heavily amplified band that undermined the story's intimacy. Nolen, by contrast, brought out the quiet yet deep emotions of a family dealing with illness and loss. The visual projections by Jorge Cousineau suggested the characters' states of mind without becoming distracting.
Virtues of restraint
Michael Starobin's original orchestrations were employed here as well, but they sounded better, even with six musicians rather than seven. Conductor/pianist Eric Ebbenga kept the volume moderate, revealing the diaphanous, gossamer tapestry that Tom Kitt wrote for violin, cello and keyboards.
The cast members demonstrated similar restraint, lowering their volume for many of the play's most emotional lines instead of belting them. Most notably, James Barry's half-whispered words as Dan, the husband, carried great weight. Kristine Fraelich, as a quiet and intense Diana, embodied the flat sadness of a medicated bi-polar.
Brian Yorkey's script makes Diana appear relatively normal in her opening scenes; only later are we told— not shown— that she has run naked on the street, crashed a car and burned down a house. Alice Ripley, who played Diana on Broadway and on tour, handled that problem by playing high-strung and manic most of the time. Hers was a magnificent performance, but Fraelich quietly generated more sympathy for the character.
Intense duet
Especially intense were the last act duet between Diana and Dan, "How Could I Ever Forget?" and the duet between Diana and her daughter, who sings, "I don't need a life that's normal,/ That's way too far away./ But something next to normal would be OK."
Rachel Camp made an attractive and appealing Natalie and sang beautifully. Michael Doherty, as her classmate/boyfriend, admirably conveyed his devotion to Natalie with a goofy and endearing smile and sweet voice. Robert Hager was haunting as the son who tries to remain alive in his parents' memories. Brian Hissong did a fine job as two of Diana's psychiatrists.♦
To read another review by Jackie Atkins, click here.
What, When, Where
Next to Normal. Book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey. Music by Tom Kitt. Terrence J. Nolen directed. Through November 4, 2012 at the Arden Theater’s F. Otto Haas Stage, 40 N. Second St. (215) 922-1122 or www.ardentheatre.org.
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