First of all, the auditorium at Greenhalgh Theatre is amazing. I wasn’t expecting that at a high school. We noticed the classic red theatrical seats with the contrasting pine paneling, and then zoned in on an epic set. With a lounge area stage right and a home bar to the right. In the middle you first think you are clapping eyes on the perfect family kitchen, and soon notice the cracks and wonkiness. Not normal, but next to it.
It's a quietly brilliant piece of design, and it sets up the entire emotional landscape of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's extraordinary musical before the overture begins. Above it all, a jaunty window frames the pit orchestra in full view; a choice that pays dividends throughout the night, not least because conductor Tom Borbilas has such a smooth, unhurried way of pulling everything together that watching him became its own quiet pleasure.
Director Sarah Shanahan's note in the programme speaks of this show as a genuine healing journey for her, and that care is evident in every aspect of the production. The opening number establishes the Goodman family's "perfect" facade with precision with each performer locked into their role in the dynamic, every smile doing a little too much work.
Izzy Tilden as Diana is the gravitational centre of the evening, and the performance is exceptional. Tilden navigates the full emotional spectrum of a woman locked in a long battle with her mental health delicately demonstrating the manic highs, the medicated numbness, the moments of devastating clarity, with intention and artistry. The depiction of what it feels like to be flattened by pharmaceuticals is handled with particular care; Tilden finds the absence of emotion as precisely as the presence of it. And that belt. The singing in this production is something else entirely, but Tilden's voice is a force.
Simon Donovan as Dan anchors the family with a restrained anguish that only cracks when it absolutely has to, and the harmonies between father and son are among the most affecting moments of the night. Raven Swinkels is magnetic as Natalie, bringing a raw energy to Natalie's fight to meet everyone's expectations while figuring out who she actually is. The solo that unpacks this is heart-wrenching in the best possible sense. Nye Morrison as Henry; the friend, the hopeful lover, the only one who seems to truly see Natalie, finds the gentle persistence of that role beautifully, and the chemistry between Morrison and Swinkels carries us right through to the curtain call.
Hugh Arthur brings a quiet, specific presence to Gabe, and the mother-son harmonies are also sublime. Brayden Macfarlane-Walker as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine brings nuance to both characters and also creates a unique chemistry with each character they interact with.
The ensemble work is strong throughout, and the pit (led by Borbilas with Kai Azoum, Hayden White, Alana Wood, Daniel Enriques, Nick Drescher, Dylan Maclean and Zac Nisbet) moves in genuine sync with the performers on stage. Sarah Shanahan's lighting design, alongside the projections, is fluid and responsive; smooth when it needs to be, deliberately fractured when it doesn't.
This production of Next to Normal is powerful and heartwrenching. It asks hard questions and sits with them rather than rushing to answers. Leaving us to continue to ponder which is worse… the symptom or the cure? That this company has staged it with such emotional intelligence and technical ambition is genuinely impressive.
Do see it. And bring tissues. You'll need them.
To book tickets to Next To Normal, please visit https://www.sydneymusicaltheatre.com.au/.
