Next to Normal

Diana lives with bipolar disorder, causing the line between imagination and reality to blur within her family. Husband Dan (Edwin Jonker) saves what can be saved; son Gabe is all over the place; daughter Natalie takes refuge in pills and perfectionism. As a viewer, you are swept into the life of a family that seems ‘normal’ on paper, but fights for stability behind closed doors.

With three Tony Awards (2009) and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (2010) under its belt, Next to Normal belongs to a rare club: only ten musicals have ever been awarded that prize. Director Anouk Beugels, known for MELK, a motherfucking musical (packed with five Musical Awards in 2024), consciously opts for a direct, unpolished approach. Raw, contemporary, and imaginative—exactly how NANOEK makes musicals. Hence this new translation by Judith Boesen. Propelled by the steaming pop-rock score, performed live by a four-piece band. This takes the story far beyond the words: you feel the highs and lows in every fiber of your being.

And because NANOEK goes beyond just making musicals, the company is creating an in-depth contextual program around the production regarding the themes and the musical genre. Straight to the point – with guts, humor, and relatability.

Trigger warning
Next to Normal deals with mental vulnerability and bipolarity, and their impact on a family. The performance contains explicit references to suicide. The loss of a child and the grief that follows also feature prominently in the story. Furthermore, drug and medication use is depicted, as well as electroshock therapy (ECT). NANOEK tells this story unpolished and intimately: it can be confronting.

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