Ordinary Days

Ordinary Days is one of those shows that I have heard snippets from many times before but never sat down and listened to the album, so the chance to see it performed was very exciting. As it turned out there were multiple songs that I didn't even realise were from the show that I recognised, mostly from TikTok trends, but the performances still felt very fresh.  

Ordinary Days is a sung through musical, or a song cycle depending on how you look at it, that follows 4 people in NYC whose lives become connected in unexpected ways. Deb loses her thesis notes which leads her to meet Warren,  and their friendship leads them both to revelations about their outlook on life, which leads them to throwing stacks of paper off a high balcony, a visual that reminds Claire of her past relationship and leads her to open up to her boyfriend Jason and say yes to his proposal.

What I liked

Each cast member was incredible, their performances were all beautiful and compelling throughout every song. I was especially moved by Melisa Camba's rendition of I'll Be Here; I was most familiar with this song ahead of the show, but it nonetheless brought be to tears with Camba's performance as Claire, as she effortlessly explored a heart-wrenching subject with clear connection and incredible vocals.

I was also drawn to Aidan Cutler's performance as Warren, who brought an infection energy to the stage, combined with an absolutely beautiful voice. All of Cutler's were ones that I had never heard, and I was delighted by each of them, and it felt that he had developed a very clear character across the story.

Aside from the performances themselves, my favourite moment was when they threw the colourful papers into the air nearing the end of the story. It was a beautiful sight against the rainbow umbrellas that covered the ceiling which began to spin. For a smaller theatre, I was also really impressed with the lighting design. It felt like a lot of thought had gone into creating distinct moments and spaces throughout the show.

What wasn't my favourite

This is another case of lacking criticism for a production. The show could of course be advanced by bigger band, or bigger budget, but the show is a beautiful and enjoyable piece and a prime example of small theatre being a required part of the theatre scene for more intimate opportunities of storytelling.

Overall

I had a wonderful time with this show, and I'm so glad it was my first introduction to the piece in its full form (as opposed to listening to the cast album first) because it was captivating to clearly follow the interconnecting story.