So the title is not wrong, I am reviewing the same show for two performances. I did get to see Next To Normal on two occasions in the past week. Once through my Broadway in Chicago Season Tickets and the other with a friend. When I purchased my season tickets, this was the show I most wanted to see. Ever since I heard the music for the first time, I had an obsession with this show and wanted to see it. So this was in all a bit of a dream come true.
On both occasions, I went to the theatre hoping to see the Tony Award Winning Lead, Alice Ripley, in the role of Diana. Both times we were given an understudy (which I later found out was due to the fact that Ripley had a knee injury). Never have I been so in awe of an understudy as I was with Pearl Sun. She took the role of Diana and shocked and awed me in her portrayal. Only during the second half of the first half on the 1st did she have some vocal problems but all was well later in the show. In such a vocally demanding role as Diana, it added a certain level of truthfulness in the vocal strain.
Another role that I was truly in awe of was Emma Hunton, although we did see her understudy on the 3rd. Her portrayal of Natalie was simply fantastic and her voice was so pure and beautiful. Her relationship with Henry was truthful and real. Asa Somers as Dan was simply fantastic! Such real pain was conveyed on stage.
If I have any real complaints, they are small. Gabe's singing of I'm Alive left something to be desired (maybe because I have sung this song many times myself) and the staging was problematic at times as when they went further back on the levels, you lost them and couldn't really see what was going on from my place in the balcony.
In the end, I couldn't stop but smiling as I enjoyed the show. I was in love with the script and the portrayal of the pain was so truthful on stage. My heart was toyed with and I just simply loved this show
Theatremandan
Rating- 9.5/10
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