Ordinary Madness – Riverside Studios

“There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out, but I pour whiskey on him and inhale cigarette smoke.” Bukowski’s famous poem opens Ordinary Madness, the latest literature-based production from international ensemble company Art Theatre London.

Cleverly staged into a series of sleek vignettes, the production attempts to stitch together Bukowski’s short stories and poems, but something crucial fails to connect. Bukowski’s world is dirty, grim, and visceral — his words make you taste the cigarette smoke, smell the sweat, and inhale the sensual perversion of our human condition.

Here, under Anya Viller’s direction, the show too often feels like a sleek Drama Center showcase of its best and brightest: too safe, too clean, too polished. The young, dynamic cast struggles to capture the full depth of their characters’ grim lives, their performances somehow overwhelmed by the weight of their colorful American accents.

James Viller, a co-founder of Art Theatre London, provides a welcome exception. His portrayal of Bukowski’s troubled characters pulses with palpable gusto and misguided tenderness, capturing the raw emotional core Bukowski demands—however flawed or chaotic it might be.

Visually, Ordinary Madness impresses with Joseph Nigogohossian’s meticulous costume design and Benjamin Vetluzhskikh’s clever lighting choices. However, the volume of the accompanying music often drowns out the dialogue, muddying the impact of Bukowski’s sharp, jagged words.

Though admirable in its ambition, Ordinary Madness ultimately feels more like a showcase of the cast’s range and employability than a true service to Bukowski’s words. Despite a few striking highlights—like the mannequin storyline, which Viller and Victoria Valcheva masterfully narrate—the production overall lacks the texture, sensuality, and broken vulnerability that Bukowski’s writing demands. The bluebird may be there, but it’s locked away, buried beneath a layer of picture-perfect artifice.

Playing until 9th March, https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/ordinary-madness-150676/

Reviewer: Klervi Gavet

Reviewed: 12th February 2025

North West End UK Rating: