Overall, I did not expect this kind of ending where everyone tries to find their own way, but still have hope on their side. I expected it to end as a family as one/together and Diana being healed but everything kind of worked out in their own special way. It was surprising how Dan finally visualized Gabe and had a new twist to the “I am the one” song. It seemed that Dan finally accepted Gabe in his life despite in Act 1 where he would seem nonexistent to him. I don’t think there is a clear designated villain or hero, because of the way the family worked throughout the play. Everyone in the end has hope. In Act 1, the family didn’t know exactly where they were going in life, individually. However, during Act 2, everything became clear to them. For example, although Diana still has some repercussion form the ECT, she finally notices/cares for Natalie and understands her in an emotional way. She wants Natalie to have a better life and not be stressed with everything going on in her life because Diana sees herself in Natalie. Henceforth, Natalie in the future would have a happy life with Henry, hopefully. I really liked the “reprised” songs because they showed some sort of development from Act 1 and Act 2. For example, for “you don’t know”, in Act 1, Diana expresses her feelings and how know one really knows how she feels with being depressed and having the mental illness but in Act 2, it changes to Diana wanting to know more and remember what she has forgotten. Overall, my attitude towards normalcy has changed after reading this play. The way people portray what being normal is may not be normal to another person, so by being next to normal, there is a work of progress to be made, “to get by”.
Word Count: 313
Word Count: 313