Next to Normal

Next to Normal leads us through the life of a middle-aged mother with a bipolar condition that is controlled by the spirit of her young son who died 16 years ago.

Josh McCann-Thomson has staged this piece with sensitivity and the cast delivered his vision with a professional edge.

Arlie McCormick gave a magnificent performance as the troubled mother and Stephen Hirst, as her ever-supportive husband, delivered a consummate characterization in dealing with this situation. As the son who died very young, Shaun Coleman brought the memories of the now eighteen-year-old to life in a compassionate manner and Heidi Enchelmaier was the daughter desperately wanting to be part of her mother’s world while dealing with the problems of being a typical teenager with a boyfriend, played by Lachlan Geraghty, who wanted to get close to his love but it was an uphill battle. Jayden Isgrove played the dual roles of the two Psychologists, each with differing views on dealing with this delicate situation.

Musically, the performers, under the vocal direction of Ethan Jones, were extremely strong and the orchestra, under the direction of Liam Cruz were competent. The occasional problems occurred when, due to the sound mix, some lyrics were overpowered by the music. 

Roger McKenzie