Ordinary Days - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Ordinary Days, a musical by Adam Gwon, follows four New Yorkers as they navigate daily life in the big city. Two of them are a couple whose relationship slowly unravels before us; the other two are strangers, one an aspiring academic, the other a young man who is muddling through life, who connect through a lost item. During the show, all four characters reveal what brought them to New York and what they're searching for to create the lives they dream of. They reveal hopes and fears and the daily dramas in seemingly trivial things. Ultimately, we see how they find meaning, joy, and connection in an increasingly complicated world.

This production, from Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock Theatre, was staged Upstairs at The Gatehouse with a strikingly minimalist set: a few moveable boxes, some carefully placed props, and a single picture frame. Accompanied by a live pianist, the four actors—Aidan Cutler, Melissa Camba, James Edge, and Dora Gee—perform the entire show without spoken dialogue. The songs carry the narrative, giving the piece a lyrical, flowing rhythm.

Despite being written over 15 years ago, the musical feels fresh and timely. Cutler’s comic timing is impeccable, bringing warmth and real vulnerability to Warren, his oddball optimist of a character. Dora Gee is a standout as Deb, delivering razor-sharp humour with ease. All four performers are strong vocalists, and the pianist deserves credit for underpinning the show beautifully.

The sparse set and well-judged lighting effects enhanced rather than distracted, allowing the characters and music to take centre stage. The staging was excellent and the small cast used every inch of space giving the audience a feeling that we were in a much bigger space. Given that Ordinary Days requires only four actors and a pianist, it deserves to travel further. This production told its story with heart, humour and a quiet originality and despite it's relatively light tone, it felt life-affirming and I certainly came away feeling a little lighter than when I arrived. I hope it isn’t the last we see of it. Ordinary Days is anything but ordinary.

Salty Brine, These are the Contents of My Head at Soho Theatre

I didn't know what to expect from Salty Brine. I'm never quite sure that I'm the target audience for drag acts at Soho Theatre. After all, I'm CIS female, straight and certainly old enough to be the artiste's mother. I've been a bit non-plussed by some of those that I've seen there in the last few months feeling that they were aimed squarely at a queer, male audience and misogyny is also evident more times than I would like. 

I needn't have worried with this show. Salty is different. They had something to say that could touch anyone in the audience so it had a more universal appeal. Sure, there were things in it that a gay man would relate to more than me, but that feeling of being an outsider and trying to fit in in places where you're never really going to fit in resonated. 

The show is clever in that weaves Brine's Judy Garland singing persona, the songs of Annie Lennox's album DIVA, the Kate Chopin book 'The Awakening' (required reading in US schools apparently) and the tale of Brine's own upbringing. Despite this seemingly complex premise, it was easy and fun to be carried along with the adept storytelling, the wonderful singing and music. The whole thing was engaging, thoughtful and funny - a complete theatrical experience rather than a song cycle with anecdotes. 

A special mention should go out to Brine's band. What a treat to have a full ensemble on stage instead of a soundtrack. The musical arrangements were superb and Brine's Musical Director, Ben Langhorst, is also an absolute hoot! This show has style, pzazz aplenty and yet retains the human story at it's core. 

The next time Salty hits Blighty, I'm there!

Review: The Inseparables at Finborough Theatre

There’s a lot to admire in The Inseparables, a new play by Grace Joy Howarth based on Simone de Beauvoir’s novella of the same name (you can read about that here), now playing at the Finborough Theatre. It’s an ambitious project to take on a reworking of this recently found novella. The story shines a light on the early life and friendships that helped shape one of the 20th century’s most radical thinkers. And whilst the production has flashes of beauty, particularly in its visuals and performances, it doesn’t quite land emotionally, mainly due to issues in the writing.

The source material is loosely autobiographical: Sylvie represents de Beauvoir and Andrée is based on her real-life best friend and confidante, Elizabeth 'Zaza' Lacoin. These two young women were pioneers in thought, pushing against social norms and having the kind of formative conversations that would later feed into de Beauvoir’s feminist philosophy. On paper, it’s fascinating. But on stage, the depth of their connection doesn’t fully come through. I didn’t quite feel their inseparable-ness, which seems like a bit of a problem when that’s the central premise. Teenage girl friendships can be some of the deepest, passionate bonds around, as intense as any romantic crush and I needed more of that emotional weight to make sense of the story.

The play unfolds in a series of short, fast-moving chronological scenes, jumping from childhood into their twenties. That structure might work on the page, but here it felt a little rushed and fragmented. It was hard to settle into any particular moment before we’d moved on again. It was also hard work as an audience member to keep up with what was going on and where we were in place and time. This also meant there wasn't time to get to any emotional depth between the two girls. We got glimpses of their radical spirit, but not enough of the raw, thought-provoking conversations that maybe fuelled de Beauvoir’s work.

That said, the production design is full of clever touches. Hazel Poole Zane’s set is minimal but effective: a simple window with lace curtains, a chaise longue, a dresser-turned-anything, and a couple of prop shelves - nothing flashy, but enough to give each scene a clear sense of place. The stage is small, but it never feels cramped, and the transitions are smooth and purposeful.

The standout design element, though, is the video projection by newcomer Jessica Brauner. These projections add real texture to the world of the play, transporting us from school chapels to rural idylls to domestic interiors. The stained glass effect is especially striking—there’s one moment in Act 2 where it’s used in combination with shadow dancers to contrast Andrée’s faith with Sylvie’s rebellion, and it’s genuinely beautiful.

Costume-wise, everything feels grounded in period—give or take the odd zip (a small detail, but zips weren’t really a thing until the 1930s!). Overall, though, the look and feel of the show is cohesive and well thought-out.

Performance-wise, the cast of four is strong. Lara Manela as Andrée is a real highlight—graceful, expressive, and consistently engaging. She brings a subtle wildness to the role that hints at something deeper beneath the surface. Ayesha Ostler as Sylvie is solid too, although I didn’t always feel the fire of Sylvie’s emotional or ideological journey. I think that's down to the writing as much as anything. Alexandre Costet-Barmada and Caroline Trowbridge both provide excellent support, juggling multiple roles with ease and nuance.

The real treats come in the movement sequences, choreographed by Daniela Poch. Andrée’s love of music, especially the violin, is beautifully rendered through dance. These moments could have veered into interpretive-dance cliché, but they don’t. They’re elegant, clear, and a lovely way of deepening the character. The music choices (by Flick Isaac Chilton) are also pitch-perfect, helping to break up the linear storytelling and evoke mood and time really effectively.

There’s also something genuinely exciting about the fresh talent involved in this production. Three of the cast are new graduates, two are French (which feels fitting, given the source material), and the video designer is also just starting out. It’s fantastic to see new artists being given this kind of platform, and I really hope we see more from them in future. Kudos to the Finborough Theatre for providing a platform for them to showcase their talents.

Am I glad I saw it? Absolutely. Despite its flaws, it’s made me want to read the novella and dig deeper into both de Beauvoir and Lacoin’s lives so in many respects, the purpose of the exercise has been achieved. It's also important to support new work to maintain the health of our theatre ecosystem.

Playing until 10 May at Finborough Theatre (5 minutes walk from Earls Court tube, Warwick Road exit) https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/production/the-inseparables/

The Inseparables - by Grace Joy Howarth, based on the novella by Simone de Beauvoir translated by Lauren Elkin

Cast & Creatives:

Cast: Alexandre Costet-Barmada, Lara Manela (Andree), Ayesha Ostler (Sylvie) and Caroline Trowbridge

Director: Anastasia Bunce / Set Designer: Hazel Poole Zane

Lighting Designer : Abraham Walkling-Lea / Sound designer: Flick Isaac Chilton

Movement Director; Daniela Poch / Video Designer: Jessica Brauner

Intimacy Coordinator: Justin Stirewalt / Stage Manager: Kiara Atkinson

An interview with Marisha Wallace

I was lucky enough to see Marisha Wallace's one-night-only concert at The Adelphi Theatre when I got back from Barcelona earlier this month. It was a great concert - partly biographical with a full band on stage, backing singers and a few special guests. I also got a chance to interview Marisha as part of the experience. Although I've interviewed many people over the years, it's usually been in the context of exploring issues in the mobile industry at a conference, podcast or panel session. 

This was my first interview in a long time with someone in the arts. The previous one was a joint session with Rufus Norris, my old youth theatre chum, when he'd just started his tenure as Artistic Director at The National Theatre some ten years ago. I'll have to dig that one out of the archives.

My review and interview with Marisha are over on 1883 Magazine. I really like what she had to say.

Much Ado About Nothing is Quite a Lot of Something

Having a passion for theatre and getting to write about it opens lots of doors to experience productions I might not have had the budget to go and see ordinarily. Much Ado About Nothing is one of those. At the time of writing this post, tickets for the last week of the run are selling for £350+ - This version of Much Ado about Nothing is Quite A Lot of Something Special. 

I was lucky enough to go and see it back in February. I loved it. It's a very different take on Shakespeare, getting the Jamie Lloyd stripped-back treatment but in pink this time instead of the monochrome we've seen before.

My review of it is over on 1883 Magazine. 

It was a couple of hours of pure joy perfectly reflected in the gorgeous pink confetti and giant pink heart seen on the stage. If theatre is meant to transport you somewhere for a couple of hours or so, then this production certainly delivers. As I said in the review, when Jamie Lloyd gets it right, he really gets it right. Shakespeare purists may not like it but ticket sales suggest that the rest of us love it.

It clearly also delivers to the fans. On leaving the theatre, there was an enormous queue around the block, patiently waiting for Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell to come out. I've never seen anything like it! 

The queue was very well organised to allow room for the actors to walk safely to talk to fans, sign autographs and have photographs taken. 

I didn't join the queue, but I did watch it in action and I was very impressed with how much time Hiddleston and Atwell spent talking to fans and interacting with them. 

Performing every night is usually enough for most actors but these two have to factor in working the stage door every night as well. The way they've handled this will only serve to increase their star power. Other actors could do well to take notice of this. 

I might just have to join the queue one night this week and get my programme signed too.

Elektra - a Review

Performance seen: Thursday 27 March 3pm. Stalls K19. Duke of York's Theatre.

This is a high concept, experimental piece of theatre breathing new life into the centuries old storyfrom Sophocles. In that respect, it was successful. I enjoyed the drastically different approach to the story telling. The Greek Chorus's singing and sound effects were a highlight, although they were perhaps overplayed in the final third of the piece. Brie Larson's performance was good. She's essentially doing a monologue interspersed with some Greek Chorus and the odd bit of dialogue. At times, the delivery was a bit one tone but it wasn't as shouty as expected from the reviews I'd read.

Stockard Channing was fabulous and it would have been great to have seen more of her on stage. The whole thing would have benefitted from more dialogue too to maintain the energy and to provide variation.

The set effects (very limited - bare stage, white backdrop, a blimp, some chairs and some microphones) and staging were good but were probably not needed inasmuch the words and sounds were the focus here. What the blimp added is anyone's guess. Ditto the spray paint. The wardrobe department are clearly kept busy removing that from the elegant silky gold and white faux fur costumes worn by all but Elektra. She's in jeans, sneakers, shaved head and a Bikini Kill t-shirt.

Overall, the poetry of Brie's (Elektra) words and the opera meets plainchant of the chorus were enjoyable and an interesting way to tell the story. As such, it was more an auditory experience than a visual one for me and that's not a bad thing.

This style of theatre won't be for everyone, but I'm glad to have seen it and I'm glad that experimental, high concept theatre is available in the West End. 

Worth noting that after the performance, there was a queue at the stage door waiting for the cast to come out. I'm guessing these were mostly for Ms Larson but I expect Ms Channing also has her fans.

The run ends in a couple of weeks so if you want to catch it, you'll need to be quick. If you shop around, you'll find discounted tickets.

Cast:

Elektra - Brie Larson

Clytemnestra - Stockard Channing

Chrystothemis - Marieme Diouf

Aegisthus - Greg Hicks

Orestes - Patrick Vaill

Chorus: Hannah Bristow, Wallis Currie-Wood, Jo Goldsmith-Eteson, Nardia Ruth, Rebecca Thorn, Adeola Yemitan, 

Understudy - Arthur Boan

Creatives:

Writer - Anne Carson

Director - Daniel Fish

Choreographer - Annie-B Parson

Designer - Jeremy Herbert

Costume Design - Doey Luthi

Lighting Designer - Adam Silverman

Sound Design - Max & Ben Ringham

Composer - Ted Hearne

On The Art of the Pre-Show and Post-Show

My friend, Terry Eden, wrote a post earlier this week about pre- and post- show experiences in the theatre and it's got me thinking... I go to the theatre at last twice a week so I see a lot of shows of all kinds (big, small, funny, serious, experimental, fringe and more) in a lot of venues so I have some thoughts on this.

One example that Terry shares is the immersive element of the current version of Cabaret and how that might heighten one's experience of the show. I may be in the minority here, but I don't like it and find it really jarring. It's a far cry from the seedy dive depicted in the story - or at least a far cry from how I imagine it to be. It adds huge cost to the show as they have two casts every night and it added nothing for me. I was stood in the bar area and just felt I, and others, were in the way. Worth noting that I find Frecknall's Cabaret a bit too shiny anyway - style over substance - in what is such a dark tale. Give me Rufus Norris's version any day. Maybe that's colouring my judgement.

I digress. I go to the theatre a lot, and some of the time, I go on my own. Having something to look at before I go in to take my seat is a welcome change from doom scrolling on my phone but there's rarely anything to look it, even less likelihood of a seat or somewhere to charge my phone. 

A bit of a display about the history of the theatre itself and previous productions is a nice touch (Drury Lane has this, and sometimes The National). I'm always fascinated by the posters from previous shows that you see at Soho Theatre and the Noel Coward Theatre and others - but why are they on the stairs where you can't linger and take in the information? Back to the Future and The Devil Wears Prada have a bit of set dressing in the foyer which is a nice touch and creates a photo opportunity which helps with spreading the word on social media. I like mooching in the National Theatre bookshop too. 

Back in the day, in my local rep theatre in Worcester, there was always a display of production photos and some info about the cast, as well as a rolling art exhibition from local artists and the bar was often open after the show, which meant you could get to meet the actors and it created a really convivial atmosphere.

Although I'm still of the view that I'm happy to have the magic happen in the auditorium, it would be nice to see more pre- and post-theatre activity - especially when the show finishes at 9 pm. I don't really understand why the bar in the theatre isn't open at this time. After all, they're missing out on a couple of hours of selling time in the bar and merchandise sales. Maybe they tried it, and people didn't want to hang around, so it wasn't commercially viable? Perhaps others can fill me in here.

Another missed opportunity is relevant sponsorship and partnerships - The Devil Wears Prada is crying out for a partnership with Selfridges, Harvey Nicks, Harrods, Vogue or the V&A Museum. Also, their merchandise really misses the mark. It's the same old same old hoodies, t-shirts and mugs. Why aren't they leaning into the fashion element? Admittedly, they're selling Elton John sunglasses but they're expensive and out of reach for most customers, many of whom are younger fans. Also, the programme is printed on magazine paper but isn't designed as a magazine. Another missed opportunity for interesting content, selling merchandise off the page, sponsored features and advertising. Yes, it would have taken more budget, but the effort should be worth the reward. 

And as for the bars... often eye-watering prices, sub-par service, and really unhealthy snacks. In colder months, why isn't every bar selling hot drinks? I don't drink alcohol much at all and would rather have a decent coffee before or even after a show. Am I the outlier here?

I love the theatre, and these are small gripes versus the enjoyment I get week-in week-out in venues across London. However, production values are production values. I'd like to see these extended to other areas of the experience more often. On that, Terry and I agree.

Cross-posted from Musings of a Mobile Marketer.