What I liked
I loved the songs, especially the duet with Abby(Rachel Kellum) and Kevin(Sebastian Son). I loved the fun supporting characters and especially the pill choreography and song. I thought this musical walked such a delicate, and also fierce line between what we call “edutainment.” It was never preachy, it never asked you to feel sorry for Abby or her epilepsy. Instead, it is a loving offer performed uniquely and powerfully for all of us to learn, witness, laugh, cry and open our hearts.
What I didn't like
As others have said, at times it was hard to hear the dialogue and some of the lyrics, but it didn’t affect me in an adverse way. This is a Fringe exploration and it did exactly what it was supposed to do – bring awareness, notice the kinks, and keep on exploring.
My overall impression
Abby Normal is all love… Rarely have I walked into a show and immediately felt the heart pulse, empathy and determined will that went into storytelling, in this case, “Abby’s” story. Rachel Kellum who plays Abby is such a delight. She has a beautiful singing voice and I never once doubted that she was authentically navigating the challenges of epilepsy. By having epilepsy as a character (brilliantly played by Amir Levi) helped us not only understand the disorder more, it gave us a chance to laugh at times and then get hit hard with reality. Sandra Cruze weaves a beautiful love letter of storytelling to her granddaughter and all of us!
