What should be a musical adventure into the lives of four ordinary people quickly becomes a chaotic car crash with lifeless acting and a lack of direction.
Written by Adam Gwon and running off broadway for two years, Ordinary Days tells the tale of four youngsters living their lives in New York and the connections between them. This song-cycle usually combines comedy and emotion with a fantastic score. However, this adaptation brings a tear to the eye for all the wrong reasons.
The whole production feels very slapdash with the set consisting of two wooden blocks and some scarves used to cover them, poorly indicating different locations. The pianist is also unnecessarily filling space on the stage and, at points where emotion could be heightened, her bopping head and constant page turning is more than off-putting.
The four actors, Phoebe Judd, Loïc Radermecker, Bella Norris and Josh Vaatstra, are evidently trying their best to keep the production as slick as possible but with some poor vocals and jilted choreography it is difficult to see past the many problems posed in this production. The one redeeming factor of the performance is Judd’s rendition of “I’ll Be Here” one of the better-known numbers from the show. It is sung with true emotion and grit.
The piece ends with two characters chucking paper from a high rise flat. You can’t help but feel the colourful mess created on the floor perfectly represents this production.
After the curtain call, adverts for all of Gone Rogue’s productions are read out. From plays to improv, the company really has gone all-out this fringe. However, maybe concentrating on just one piece and putting their all into it may reap higher artistic rewards.