ORDINARY DAYS - Old Joint Stock Theatre (10/04/25)

UK return for Adam Gwon musical finds beauty and humour in normal life

There is something strangely captivating about celebrating the mundane; normal life, along with all its foibles and fascinations, often takes a huge variety of guises, which almost always comes back to our desire for human interaction and connection. And as much as we may hesitate to admit, we all do, to some degree or another, have that inclination towards the company of others. This notion is exemplified perhaps no better than in Adam Kwon's musical "Ordinary Days", a show that definitely takes pleasure in the simple things.

Ordinary Days, with music and lyrics by Gwon, follows four characters, Claire, Jason, Deb and Warren, living in New York City during the early to mid 2000s, and how their ordinary lives interweave in rather extraordinary ways. The latter pair make for a particularly engrossing relationship, after Warren contacts Deb in order to return her thesis notes to her, with their initially mismatched energies ultimately syncing up in the most unexpected of ways, speaking profoundly to how often we naturally keep our guards up when meeting new acquaintances.

(L-R) James Edge, Melisa Camba, Dora Gee, Aidan Cutler (credit: Perro Loco Productions)

Warren is played by Aidan Cutler, best known as Biff from Back to the Future, however this wonderfully goofy and awkward fellow, latterly displaying moments of real vulnerability, proves that Cutler has marvellous range, disappearing into every character he plays, whilst also showcasing his strong, impressively resonant vocals. Opposite him we have Dora Gee playing Deb, a university student whom it's clear to see has a lot of internal turmoil, and not since Chandler Bing have we seen a character so effectively use humour as a defence mechanism, as Gee is bitingly witty, and always deliciously funny.

On the other side of the divide, we have pre-established couple Claire and Jason who, in stark contrast to the budding connection between Deb and Warren, provide insight into their own existing relationship, and it's here we see perhaps the most human relatability in the musical, as we follow them through moving in together, experiencing conflicts, and a marriage proposal that proves the catalyst to discovering what keeps Claire's walls up so staunchly. There is a discernible ebb and flow in this particular relationship that brings to a head the crux of Claire's story, culminating in a final scene between the two, where she finally opens up, and recalls her former, ill-fated husband, in a touching moment of catharsis for her.

Aidan Cutler in Ordinary Days (credit: Perro Loco Productions)

Melisa Camba as Claire is the beating heart of this production, depicting with grace the personal emotional complexity surrounding the character, and reducing everyone in the room to tears during the achingly beautiful, harrowingly tragic ballad "I'll Be Here", in what was the standout performance of the evening. Completing the quartet is James Edge as Claire's other half Jason, whose playful energy, yet inherent frustration at his significant other's naturally guarded nature is plain to see, and vocally he has some tremendous moments to shine, especially in "Hundred Story City", which is perhaps the most complete summation of Jason's mental state.

The scenic design is delightfully quirky, we enter the auditorium to a ceiling adorned with upside down umbrellas of a variety of different colours, and two towers of stacked wooden boxes covered in multicoloured leaflets, each containing a mantra or motto pertinent to the show we are about to see, and these are handed out by Cutler prior to the show commencing. This is massively telling of the immersive nature of this production, as often we have characters in and among, or sitting in between audience members, directly addressing them at times, which is particularly effective whilst in a scene where Deb and Warren are waiting for coffee; director Karl Steele has finely balanced all of the creative elements to a tee.

On top of that, the score by Gwon is full of catchy, emotionally vivid songs, and its execution, especially by pianist and musical director Nick Allen, delivers so much personality that you barely even realise the only musical accompaniment is a solitary piano. There is no doubt that, at its heart, Ordinary Days has its grounded nature and organic empathy, as well as its music, as its major selling points, as there will no doubt be at least one of these four individuals to whom anyone in the audience can relate, whether that be the perplexing nature of meeting new people, the hardships and tribulations often attached to self discovery, or simply finding ways to better express ourselves, Ordinary Days reflects the very best of humanity in the most beautiful way.

★★★★★

"Ordinary Days" plays at the Old Joint Stock in Birmingham until the 20th of April, after which it will run at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in London

{PR/Gifted tickets}