Next to Normal is unlike any musical I
have listened to. The elements put
into the musical make it interesting and complex. Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt worked really well together to
make choices. I really enjoyed
their production of the song “I’m Alive” sung by the character Gabe. The lyrics and the music create a
certain tone for Gabe. It paints a
picture in the reader’s mind of what Diana sees of her son. She sees him as a healthy, lively grown
boy, even though he died when he was an infant. Yorkey and Kitt’s choices to make Gabe a livelier character
is interesting. The music for “I’m
Alive” is upbeat and the lyrics are obviously stating that he is, well,
alive. I like that they chose not
to make his character depressing, but instead happy. And that is because Diana sees him and it makes her happier. It adds to the play’s complexity, which
I find is one of the most intriguing parts of the play.
I
also liked the rhythm of the last song, “Light”. It has a release of tension that is held up in the entire
play. Throughout the play, the
tension levels pretty much stay even.
There is no happy resolution at the end of the play, but there is a
hopeful song and that is “Light”.
So the rhythm of this song shows the release of tension and the hope
that everyone has for the future.
The elements picked out by Yorkey and Kitt provided a complex play that
leaves the audience hopeful.
I agree with you about the song "Alive." Personally it is one of my favorite songs in the play and I think it is because they have managed to use the lyrics and melody of the song to make the audience believe that Gabe is a good guy and is associated with the "happy" feelings you talk about. This is intriguing to me because we as audience members grow to like Gabe even though he is hurting Diana and standing in her way at points in the play. In conclusion, I definitely agree that that song adds to the complexity of the play.
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