Interview: Next to Normal at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
I sat down with director Dominic Whitefield-Holbrook, Brikaih Flore, who will play Diana Goodman, and Gregory Robertson, who is an understudy for Dan Goodman.
Next to Normal is a deeply moving musical that explores the heavy fallout of grief, mental illness, and family life. It tells the story of the Goodman family, exploring themes of grief and loss. Diana Goodman has bipolar disorder, and throughout the story, we see the family's ups and downs. After years of restricted UK licensing rights, the dream of bringing this powerful rock musical to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is finally becoming a reality.
As part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the production is in collaboration with a charity that helps people who struggle with bipolar disorder. Next to Normal is playing during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 7 - 15 August at the Sanctuary at Paradise in Augustines.
The interview can be listened to on Spotify or read below.
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Dominic, as the director, how did the idea of bringing Next to Normal to the Edinburgh Fringe come about?
Dominic: "The process actually started when I was 18. When I was at university with Finley, our musical director, we were obsessed with this musical. But the licensing rights just weren't available in the UK literally up until last year. The moment they became available, we jumped at the chance to fulfill that dream.
As a company, our mission at Bare is about stripping things back to just the core: storytelling and performance. Next to Normal ticks all those boxes. It’s rare to find a show where the script is equally as fabulous as the score. The choices of the lyrics and the staging make us very, very happy."
For the actors, do you have a favourite moment or song in the show, or does it change frequently?
Brikaih: "It changes all the time! Every week. Right now, my favorite to perform is the 'You Don't Know' sequence. It taps into one of my favorite things to do as an actor: to just get lost in the process. There is something about it being so overwhelmingly emotive that I almost feel like I black out. You're channeling something so raw. From a woman's point of view, feminine rage isn't really explored a lot in musical theatre—it’s always kept 'pretty.' So it’s very cool to have a character that expresses that so loudly."
Gregory: "I’m the exact same. 'You Don't Know' is a very raw experience. It’s incredibly vulnerable, but so powerful. To watch, my favorite is currently 'I've Been'. Watching Brikaih and Greg do it the other day just broke me open in a totally new way."
Dominic: "For me, it’s the title song, 'Next to Normal'. After hearing the performers do this in our vocal rehearsals, it just reached next levels. I know no matter what, when I am sitting at the side of the rehearsal room, I will be crying because these actors are nailing that scene already."
"In a world that's trying to be cautious, we're daring to be bold." — Gregory Robertson
What are you looking forward to the most when bringing this show live to a Fringe audience?
Brikaih: "Representation. There are a lot of throughlines in this show that people find more on the taboo side, especially when it comes to mental health and child loss. These stories deserve to be said out loud. Because the venue is so intimate, it’s going to be a really cool human experience to open ourselves up to that connectivity with strangers every day."
Gregory: "Through this process, we’ve been put in contact with a couple of charities, including Health In Our Hearts, who deal directly with these issues. Connecting with people who are going through this has been invaluable. In theatre, you expect moments to be dramatized or exaggerated. But hearing from real people how much of this script is completely written from their lives blew the piece apart for me. Moments where you would think, 'Oh, this is supernatural in its level of tragedy,' are actually completely grounded in reality. Our perspective changed completely once we met our wonderful charity partners."
Dominic: "Building on that, the charities are actually going to be present throughout our show week as well. They are building resources to keep the audiences safe. The show hits so hard, so it's about: how do you keep your audience educated, but also safe? I’m excited to see what people learn and take away into their own lives to raise awareness."
There are thousands of options at the Edinburgh Fringe. Why should people choose Next to Normal?
Brikaih: "Artists love their work, but truly, this is such a special show. The connectivity we have as a cast alone is unbelievable—to the point where we are getting matching tattoos! I don’t love super happy, bright musicals. I love real, intense pieces where you feel so deeply that you have no choice but to sing because words are no longer enough. That is this show. It’s human, it’s connection, it’s vulnerability."
Gregory: "It talks about taboos in a way you don't see a lot in theatre. In a world that's trying to be cautious, we're daring to be bold."
If you had to describe this production in just one word, what would it be?
Dominic: "Impactful."
Brikaih: "Indescribable."
Gregory: "Raw. There are no feathers, no sparklers, no kick-lines. It’s just raw."
Dominic: "Can I add one more? Human. Human is a very nice one."
Next to Normal is produced by Bare Productions and will be performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 7 - 15 August at 152 Sanctuary at Paradise in Augustines.
Tickets can be purchased here: Edinburgh Festival Fringe Official Website
