Review: Ordinary Days (Upstairs At The Gatehouse)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The only thing ordinary about some of the fringe theatres around the country is how commonly they deliver high-quality productions all year round. Two of them are teaming up with the Old Joint Stock in Birmingham bringing their acclaimed production of Ordinary Days to London for a run at the always exciting Upstairs At The Gatehouse. Having won over audiences in Birmingham with their recent run, would London also fall in love?

Ordinary Days is set around four New Yorkers as they search for love, purpose and happiness amongst the chaos of the city and their own lives. Their seemingly standalone stories intersect in surprising ways in a show that celebrates the supposed inconsequential moments in life and how even the most ordinary of days can lead to something extraordinary.

Written by Adam Gwon, this sung-through musical deliberately shies away from big moments, choosing instead to look at the quieter aspects of life that are so often overlooked. In doing so, Ordinary Days cleverly makes these smaller moments that much bigger in a tender and reflective exploration of life and love. Though it feels like a song cycle at times, the four characters' Days storylines are explored and developed as the show progresses, bringing more meaning to the numbers in a slow-burning process with a killer payoff.

Said musical numbers are all pleasant and tie into each other with reprises harking back to moments from earlier on in the show and bringing more significance to them. Though there is no one showstopper in Ordinary Days, this is reflective of the story itself, choosing to keep the numbers at a certain level, remaining consistent in their quality throughout.

Karl Steele directs with an honesty and simplicity that doesn’t attempt to shoehorn in any bells and whistles, instead opting to let the story speak for itself and the characters journeys evolve naturally. There are some inspired choices using the space, particularly in the choice to introduce the flyers to the audience before the show has even begun, increasing their significance and making the ultimate reveal all the more satisfying, Through minimal use of props and just the right level of audience interaction, the direction always successfully elevates the story.

A co-production from The Old Joint Stock Theatre and West End Best Friend Productions, producer James Edge takes on one of the four roles, showcasing his stunning talents in the role of Jason. WIth a beautiful singing voice and a knack for timing, he is at his best during the more comic and exaggerated moments of his character. Melisa Camba plays Claire, his other half, delivering a great dynamic in this warring couple with the question of will they or won’t they always hanging in the balance.

The remaining two characters have a completely different dynamic with Dora Gee and Aidan Cutler seeing their initially separate storylines intertwine as Deb and Warren. Gee delivers a striking performance as Deb, eliciting the biggest laughs of the evening with a larger-than-life portrayal that is always delightful to watch. Though all four cast members are fantastic in their own right, Cutler gets what I consider the standout performance from his instantly loveable and intriguing turn as Warren. Holding the key to the heart of the story, Warren has a real power in his character and Cutler reflects that through his warm performance. It is the scenes where Gee and Cutler play off of each other where Ordinary Days is at its best, creating true magic on stage.

Ordinary Days is a refreshing break from most other shows with its choice to focus on the quieter moments and creating a beautiful story in doing so. This production has a clear understanding of Gwon’s original material and manages to recreate it in a sensitive way that not only pays tribute to the text but brings something new to it too. The result is a beautiful piece of theatre that will ensure you leave with a smile on your face and a warm glow in your heart. There truly is nothing ordinary about this extraordinary production.

Ordinary Days plays at Upstairs At The Gatehouse until April 27th. Tickets from https://www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com/ 

Photos by Perro Loco Productions