Review: Ordinary Days - Abbey musical theatre

Tayla Clark portrayed grad student 'Deb'

Adam Gwon's 
Ordinary Days
Abbey Musical Theatre
Director: Andrea Maxwell

Review Date: 9th February 2018
 
Ordinary Days is a musical which explores the ordinary lives of four ordinary people living in New York.  Written in 2008 by Adam Gwon it is intended to be an intimate production focusing on four people coming to the realisation that meaning and beauty can be found in any ordinary day. 
The set was a pleasure to gaze upon.  While it did scream NEW YORK loudly, it also had a comforting and serene feel to it that made me feel relaxed and intrigued.  I was lucky enough to get my own private art lesson from a theatre companion who had donated one of his pieces of art by artists Craig and Karl to the set, and so I am also slightly smarter now than when I arrived.  I’ll take this moment to also say that the arm rest between seat E28 and E29 needs attention please.
Pianist Bronwyn Boddy brought the show to life when she entered the stage and took up her position at the keyboard for the duration of the play.  The responsibility for keeping the musical score moving along in time was well rested on her shoulders as she did a superb job.
If you’re not a fan of musicals and don’t know the storyline of Ordinary Days this may not be the show for you.  The entire narrative of this production is told through song, so also if you’re of the type that doesn’t listen to the words of songs then you’ll have no clue what is happening.  If you get your hands on a programme though, a thorough synopsis of the story will fill in the gaps.
Tayla Clark’s role as ‘Deb’ the typical, female, New York, grad student was well played.  Tayla brought more than a well practised singing voice to the role, embodying her characters traits in a subtle and believable way as well as having good comedic timing.  
Ordinary days is an intellectual show, there are no dancing numbers or sexual innuendo, that you might find in other more upbeat productions, but a focus on relationships and aspirations of two sets of people living in New York.  Art, relationships, and self discovery are the order of the day in Ordinary Days.

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