Next to Normal, Pied Pipers, ADC Theatre, Cambridge, 21^st – 25^th April 2026

            An American family home like so many others; a mom chiding her son when he waltzes in at 3 a.m; a hectic morning that is survived “on a latte and a prayer”. So far, so normal for the Goodman family – yet all is not as it seems, and the fact they are “keeping the plates spinning” is something of a miracle. Daughter Natalie feels she is invisible to her mother, while Diana can’t seem to see past her son Gabe at times – and dad Dan is perplexed by his wife’s sudden highs and lows. When Diana starts making sandwiches on the kitchen floor, Dan starts to talk about pills. Soon afterwards, a cake reveals more about the unresolved trauma that may be at the root of Diana’s condition.

            It is a frenetic start to the evening, and Bryan Yorkey’s 2008 rock musical continues in the same vein: one song follows quickly on the heels of the next, with few scenes of merely spoken dialogue. That decision pays dividends, though, for this is a show about intense feelings, and the characters are able to express those complex feelings through Yorkey’s hard-hitting lyrics. The frantic start to the show reflects the intensity of Diana’s emotions, and the song ‘Who’s Crazy/My Psychopharmacologist and I’ is an early toe-tapper. “Split the green ones into thirds with a tiny chisel,” Dr Fine instructs Diana as he prescribes umpteen antidepressants…it is enough to leave anyone in a spin.

            Vikki Jones excelled as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls at the Arts Theatre earlier this year, and she is outstanding again as the focal point of this production. Bringing tenderness and lightness of touch to the difficult themes explored here, she puts in an awe-inspiring performance. Steve Nicholson is perfect as Dan, remaining “so steadfast and stolid, and stoic and solid,” and refusing to confront the trauma that intrudes so vividly on Diana’s life. Like Jones and Nicholson, Oliver Oxley and Elin Gregory (the two children) perform their roles brilliantly. All four family members are strong singers, getting the best out of Tom Kitt’s score, with its harmonies and syncopated sections. Michael Broom is excellent, hitting all the right notes as the assured Dr Madden (and as a scene-stealing “scary rockstar”), and Toby Walden elicits empathy for Henry, whose patience knows no bounds as he courts the often-distracted Natalie. The cast’s sense of rhythm is applied not only to the songs but also to the development of the story, and crescendos lead up to moments of insight. Diana undergoes a form of treatment that Natalie finds appalling, and it leads to some of Diana’s memories being lost. As Diana struggles to retrieve them, she cannot help but question the treatment. “What happens if the cut, the burn, the break, was never in my brain, or in my blood, but in my soul?” The line is repeated and dwelt on, with all of Jones’s pained uncertainty.

            Director Cat Nicol points out how heartbreaking it is to see a person you love suffer “a break from reality”, and for many families, the unsettling storyline of this musical will prompt them to think of loved ones who have been through similar things. The cast of this production tackle this big theme with aplomb. Their reward on opening night? A standing ovation, no less. Huge congratulations to Nicol and everyone involved in Next to Normal.     

Photo credits: Paul Ashley