Pulitzer-winning show about grief and mental illness at The Lemon Tree.
The Goodmans are a family holding on. Next to Normal follows them through grief, mental illness and the daily effort of staying together, all set to a loud rock score. Underneath it is a question about what happens when the idea of a “normal” family starts to fall apart.
Aberdeen’s Hallirackit Theatre is staging it at The Lemon Tree from 14 to 17 October. The company says it wants to make ambitious theatre in the city and give local performers and creatives opportunities.
Tom Kitt wrote the music and Brian Yorkey the book and lyrics, and the show won the Pulitzer Prize. Hallirackit puts it among the most emotionally powerful works in musical theatre. The story reaches beyond grief and mental illness into addiction and relationships, and at the heart of this production is Fee Crichton as Diana Goodman.
Changing tack
Hallirackit’s first show, Wilford Wellman’s Wellbeing, went to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, then to Fife for a “Fresh From The Fringe” performance. It was surreal and satirical, a dark-edged look at wellness culture. tick, tick… BOOM! followed in 2025, a personal musical about a composer turning 30, and it sold out all three performances. It’s really good to see difficult material staged in Aberdeen, and a company willing to take it on deserves an audience.
Alongside Fee Crichton, Kenneth Lypka plays Dan, Erin Grant is Natalie, Alex Donnelly is Gabe, Finlay Keir is Henry and Dan Greavey is the Doctor. Hannah Cook directs and produces, with Mikey Innes as musical director, Ethan Lumsden as assistant musical director and Sarah Smith as movement director. Asked about the show, Cook says:
“A story about people trying desperately to love and understand one another.”
The details
Next to Normal runs at The Lemon Tree from 14 to 17 October 2026. Tickets are £16.50 and available from Aberdeen Performing Arts.
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