"Next To Normal" by Encore Performing Arts.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

Although I know the soundtrack, I've not seen this musical before. This is one of those rare musicals that doesn't have a happy clappy jazz hands feel, nor does it have a happy ending, in fact the ending has been left quite ambiguous with the writers creating an open ended finale, giving the audience an opportunity for discussion and personal decision as to what actually happens.

"Next to Normal" follows the Goodman family as they navigate the challenges of everyday life alongside Diana’s experience of bipolar disorder. Her husband Dan is determined to support her, while their daughter Natalie struggles with the pressures of growing up and finding her own identity. Combining a powerful rock score with warmth and humour, this intimate musical explores the impact of mental illness on a family, the complexities of love and the search for stability in a life that rarely goes to plan.

Diana Goodman is a suburban wife and mother who struggles with bipolar depressive disorder and severe delusions, and is played by Danielle Easter. This is one hell of a role to play as Danielle is on stage for practically all of the show. 

Dan Goodman, Diana's devoted but exhausted husband who tries desperately to keep the family stable and appear "normal" while hiding his own deep grief and strain, is played by Andrew Bould. I have never seen Andrew act with such emotion as I did tonight.

Craig Youngman plays Gabe Goodman, Diana and Dan's son. I've been reviewing Craig for several years now and have seen him play a variety of roles, and like the other five, this role tops anything done previously, and that voice is made for rock musicals.

Dan and Diana's teenage daughter, Natalie, is played by Darcie Cound. Natalie is a high-achieving, stressed-out student who feels invisible and overwhelmed by her mother's illness. 

Henry, Natalie's boyfriend, is played by Riley Halls Backler. Henry is a laid-back stoner, a romantic musician and philosopher who supports Natalie through her family crisies. The relationship between Natalie and Henry is a really nice constant throughout, both characters being positive for the other.

Dr Fine/Madden, Diana's psychiatrists who guide her through various treatments, is played by Adela Green. Adela is such a flexible actor, and these two roles, with their different ideas about medicine, shows how one actor can play two similar roles and still make both recognisably different.

This is one musical where every one of the six actors prove to be right at the top of their game. All six will probably not play another role like these, until maybe another musical comes along sometime in the future where the characters are as complex as these, and the story is as emotional and thought provoking as this.

The vocals are insanely good, and I've seen just how good this cast of six can sing by experiencing them all on stage over the years

Directed by Kheenan Jones and Ollie Turner, both on a roll with great productions currently. Kheenan and Oliver have given the audience a musical with the sobriety and seriousness that a story like this truly merits. They have brought out the raw emotion, confusion, anger and love the story has sewn through it's tapestry that Brian Yorkey, who wrote the book and lyrics, and Tom Kitt, who wrote the music created in 2008. The comedy sections really provide some nice patches of light relief. I also liked the fact that Kheenan and Ollie didn't just keep the action to the stage, utilising the several entrance and exit points in the theatre itself.

It is also a big tribute to the cast, as well as the Directors, to be able to draw out the emotions that some of this audience showed at the end of the musical.

Sam Griffiths is the Musical Director who has yet another amazing score to work with. There are about 38 pieces of music in this score and is sung through with just very few parts that do not have music involved with the story, so Sam works just as hard as any of the actors or any member of the team. The harmonies could have been multi-tracked if I'd have not heard them sung live on stage, they are that good, and there's not many times that you can say that you've heard a six part harmony performed to this standard right before your eyes, and ears.

The six piece band consisted of Sam (Keyboards), Karen Bithel (Violin), Lizzie Spear (Cello), Jamie Nowell (Guitar), Sunim Koria (Bass) and Dave Shipley (Drums), were situated at the front of the stage, which I always reckon makes for a smoother sound mix, and they look good there as opposed to be situated in the room at the side of the auditorium. It's also ideal for Sam as MD because this is a sung through musical and we all know that with these, the perfect place for an MD is right in front of the cast.

There's an incredible range of vocals that this soundtrack demands. It demands, and receives that range and quality with this cast.

Stage Manager is Katie Bird, and if you stick around the auditorium during the break, you can also see a small section of the work that Katie puts into managing the set and props, which is another credit in the programme for Katie.

Set design is by Kheenan and Ollie. The set is based in one room at the Goodman's home, but we also get a section above stage level which acts as an upstairs room for Henry, Natalie and Gabe to  share a separate spotlight from the family room downstairs. The more I scoured the set, the more I noticed just how clever it was. I won't give any further spoilers, but there's also a connection with parts of the programme which seem to be replicated on the set walls itself. The set was constructed by Rob Stott-Marshall and Emma Kelvey

Lighting is by David Price, and again there are subtle mood givaways with the colours used in the design, especially the blue and red hues. The rolling colour patterns that cascade around the walls of the set, I took to indicate in my mind, could have been to reflect an indication as to how Diana's brain and mind was working at several stages in the story. Maybe I'm seeing more into the lighting design than is there, but that is the wonderful thing about this musical, everyone will have a different understanding and recognition of various sections of Diana and the musical itself.

Sound is by Matt Haslam. You could not wish for a more balanced mix as the vocals were as clear as a bell. 

Produced by Adam Guest, who also designed the programme which has several very clever touches. Do you know why the front cover, which is designed to look like a magazine cover, has an issue number 21?

There's a really nice section of choreography in the first act, and is really the only choreographed piece in the show. Daisy Donoghue choreographed  the piece entitled "My Psychopharmocologist And I" for Dan, Dr Fine and Diana, creating an almost dream sequence for the trio.

I've deliberately tried not to give too much away about what happens throughout this play because the storyline deserves to be seen and ingested by actually watching it, and not by any level of spoilers. What I will say though is that a play like this one doesn't come around every  day, but when it does, it makes such an impact on an audience. The subject matter matters, it has the ability to be painful as an onlooker, but it's supposed to be like that, to have the impact it's intended to. It's educational and emotional, especially for anyone who has experienced even a ripple from this stone thrown into the pond of life.

Encore always choose a charity to support throughout the run of their shows and try to choose a local charity that is, in some way, connected to the show's message. This time around Encore have chosen two charities.

The Derbyshire Perinatal Mental Health Service, who support women and birthing people from 12 weeks of pregnancy to 2 years of age.

The Beeches Mother and Baby Unit, who support women and birthing people from 32 weeks of pregnancy to 1 year of age experiencing moderate to severe mental health. There's also a QR code in the programme that you can use to make donations.

The standing ovation opening night received was worth every minute of the play, and I also noticed that, if Andrew hadn't signalled that he wanted to speak, I think that ovation would have gone on even longer than it did.

This production has also been entered for the Derby Eagle Awards, presented in July 2027. I predict here and now that Encore, and this cast, should be outright recipients for the categories they'll be nominated in. Other theatre groups are going to have to go some to beat the quality of this show and the performers and Production Crew.

"Next to Normal" is at the Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton until Saturday 26 September. I thoroughly recommend ticking this one off of the bucket list, especially with a cast as talented as this one.