Next To Decent
Next To Normal, Theater für Niedersachsen, Hildesheim, 12th April, 2014
Fact: The best handyman manages to fasten even the most bent screw onto a wall.
So when you have one of the best, IMHO, directors in this country aka Craig Simmons, directing a production at the TfN, the result is thanks to him decent and a bit compensating, as this was my last premiere I visited at the TfN, for the horrendous previous productions this and last season.
This post actually will be rather short, I will not go into detail so that some person can start twisting my words and start threatening again.
Cast: This post actually will be rather short, I will not go into detail so that some person can start twisting my words and start threatening again.
Caroline Kiesewetter - Diana Goodman
Alexander Prosek - Dan Goodman
Jonas Hein - Gabe Goodman
Caroline Zins - Natalie Goodman
Tim Müller - Henry
Jens Plewinski - Dr. Fine/ Dr. Madden
This production clearly bears Craig's typical signature of personenregie I have seen so often and looking back to past productions at the TfN in the musical company that is a good thing even the style gets repetitive if you have seen a dozen of his productions.
Next To Normal is for me an average show which cannot live up to the hype.
The story (read synopsis >>here) might be something different for a musical, but you can see that kind of story on any cheesy TV channel and the plot as of e.g. the ply "August Osage County" is a lot more clever and the music is nothing new reminding me way too often of shows as "Spring Awakening" and the superior "Bare" and therefore I never bothered to see it on stage before as neither the OBC nor the odd *cough* bootleg *cough* despite fantastic singing could convince me to travel all the way to other productions.
Craig Simmons though makes the best out of it with the support from Steffen Lebjedzinski's convincing multi tiered simplistic bright stage design (though clearly inspired by other productions) - just the sound is again an impertinence, not that the band could always embrace lacking a certain drive needed for that kind of music - for me it is simply not enough to just play the right notes but requiring a certain fervour already the musical director Andreas Unsicker misses so that it can never be transported to the rest of the band.
Craig Simmons though makes the best out of it with the support from Steffen Lebjedzinski's convincing multi tiered simplistic bright stage design (though clearly inspired by other productions) - just the sound is again an impertinence, not that the band could always embrace lacking a certain drive needed for that kind of music - for me it is simply not enough to just play the right notes but requiring a certain fervour already the musical director Andreas Unsicker misses so that it can never be transported to the rest of the band.
So with the detailed work the cast can deliver largely a satisfying job even if am left totally cold by all performances (or by the piece in general - and that me who still cries when watching Les Miserables having seen that xx times), even Caroline Kiesewetter's whom I loved in in the past having known her for nearly ten years being a regular actress at theatres in Hamburg and in Lüneburg.
I actually think that knowing of her skills she could have done with a bit less tight direction and given more space to explore the character - which am sure she will do or have done already. Her singing could not always convince especially in the higher ranges it sounded exerted but you could clearly tell that she is an ACTRESS that listens and works with the director.
I actually think that knowing of her skills she could have done with a bit less tight direction and given more space to explore the character - which am sure she will do or have done already. Her singing could not always convince especially in the higher ranges it sounded exerted but you could clearly tell that she is an ACTRESS that listens and works with the director.
For the rest of the cast, all of the TfN musical company (for whatever reason the role of Diana was cast with a guest and not, as you would expect it from a repertory theatre utilise the in house ensemble fully to avoid guests) certain skill lacks I mentioned in prior reviews before of certain cast members are still there, even if less obvious, as clearly worked on, accents still go on my nerves, though funny that a rolled "R" has been reduced massively (and that despite (or because??) I was told I have absolutely no clue about theatre work!) but since they are largely just accoutrement in the piece anyway I can live with that.
I was pleased that after most disappointing performances Jonas Hein was besides Caroline Kiesewetter the one who could deliver.
It is these kind of roles that suit and challenge him and with a director at his side who knows his craft Jonas can shine being charismatic and poignant at the same time.
Well overall a decent production of an overrated musical I will not rush to see again, particularly at that theatre.
Actually after seeing the appaling "Hair" production once more the other Sunday (where I realised again HOW weak the ensemble is after seeing all these good shows with brilliant ensembles in the UK) just to see the soon leavers Jonas Hein, Jens Plewinski and Michaela Linck one last time, I do not intend to visit that theatre again for the time being - at least no production of the musical company.
There is just so much cretinism I can take and when certain people seem to write their own (of course most positive) reviews on the TfN website or pages as Musicalzentrale and/or let them write (people should be careful how they write something - everyone has their own style on how to write reviews or they use certain words, sentences they just recently have said or written publicly) that I have decided that I will spend my hard earned money, at least as long as certain people are in the ensemble and a certain musical director works at that theatre, elsewhere.
It is a shame especially as the musical company gave me some of the most beautiful memories between 2008 and 2012 but seeing how the musical company has gone downhill IMO I do not want to witness any further cringeworthy productions.
To finish this a quote from Next To Normal "So anyway I'm leaving..."
I was pleased that after most disappointing performances Jonas Hein was besides Caroline Kiesewetter the one who could deliver.
It is these kind of roles that suit and challenge him and with a director at his side who knows his craft Jonas can shine being charismatic and poignant at the same time.
Well overall a decent production of an overrated musical I will not rush to see again, particularly at that theatre.
Actually after seeing the appaling "Hair" production once more the other Sunday (where I realised again HOW weak the ensemble is after seeing all these good shows with brilliant ensembles in the UK) just to see the soon leavers Jonas Hein, Jens Plewinski and Michaela Linck one last time, I do not intend to visit that theatre again for the time being - at least no production of the musical company.
There is just so much cretinism I can take and when certain people seem to write their own (of course most positive) reviews on the TfN website or pages as Musicalzentrale and/or let them write (people should be careful how they write something - everyone has their own style on how to write reviews or they use certain words, sentences they just recently have said or written publicly) that I have decided that I will spend my hard earned money, at least as long as certain people are in the ensemble and a certain musical director works at that theatre, elsewhere.
It is a shame especially as the musical company gave me some of the most beautiful memories between 2008 and 2012 but seeing how the musical company has gone downhill IMO I do not want to witness any further cringeworthy productions.
To finish this a quote from Next To Normal "So anyway I'm leaving..."
