“Without trying to make himself look good, much less heroic, Bukowski writes with a nothing-to-lose truthfulness”, Stephen Kessler once said of Charles Bukowski’s work, and this does accurately describe the style of his writing. Charles Bukowski is an American writer who, in his poems and short stories, boldly and mercilessly depicts protagonists who are usually on the fringes of society’s underclass. In Ordinary Madness, directed by Anya Viller, his work is presented as six short plays.
A woman who responds to a Woman Wanted Advert by a complete stranger; a relationship between a countryman with a violent streak and a seemingly bold but lost woman; an ailing man who has to sell his record collection because of financial shortcomings and the need to relocate; a man who falls in love with a mannequin; a drug baron father who loves his daughter but whose family is in a state of disarray; and a turbulent relationship between a man and a young woman from Texas. While the characters in each story seem very different, there is something very alike about them.
The set (Alexandra Dashevsky) is simple, but it doesn’t appear empty and instead emphasises the characters’ state. The empty wine bottles placed at the back of the stage reinforce the sense of loneliness that haunts the characters. The lighting (Benjamin Vetluzhskikh) is never bright, whether it’s a spotlight in the dark or the glow from a swaying chandelier is somewhat melancholic. Music is used in almost every short play, such as Connie Conway’s I Should Not Be Seeing You and California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas. Each tune has a quiet and nostalgic feel with a hint of sadness. The emotional catharsis is also enhanced by the characters shouting over the music.
Although there are many characters, there are only five actors in the entire play (Victoria Valcheva, Andrew Buzzeo, Francesca Wilson Waterworth, James Viller, and Amy Leeson). All five performers capture the characteristics of the different characters, and although each character doesn’t appear for very long, they can all be clearly recognised. A great deal of narration is used in each of the short plays. Most of the time, they don’t act out the plot of what’s happening based on the descriptions, but instead replace it with body movements that convey the same emotions. Instead of making the actions feel contrived, these physical movements add more tension. In many cases, the use of narration may limit the actors’ performances, but in this production, it instead gives them more room. In the story about the mannequin, they chose to let an actress portray the mannequin, this choice of performance is not only vivid and bold but also adds a bit of fantastical colour to the story.
No matter what kind of story the main character is in, the people depicted in Charles Bukowski’s work are often flawed and lonely. Although the format of short plays is more about showing the state of the characters’ lives and it’s hard to delve into each person, Ordinary Madness has successfully given the audience a glimpse of the nature and beauty of Charles Bukowski’s work. And even after decades, people can still resonate with the characters in these stories.
Ordinary Madness runs at Riverside Studios until 9th March 2025.
★★★★☆ (4*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
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