Review: BAD NIGHTS & ODD DAYS, Greenwich Theatre

Photo credit: Lidia Crisafulli

Greenwich Theatre has certainly come back with a bang! The theatre’s first live production since December 2020, Bad Nights and Odd Days packs a punch whilst being thrillingly intimate. It’s a thrilling exploration of human relationships and how they cope within different settings and under various pressures. 

Caryl Churchill’s writing has always been electrifying and this fantastic cast really bring it to life. Overarching themes of miscommunication between men and women, the power of silence, and perhaps the shortfalls of the masculinely wired mind, are palpable throughout with strong performances from the entire cast. 

Seagulls, often considered one of Churchill’s most personal plays, allegorically dealing with the inability to write, is a gripping start to the evening. The chemistry between the three characters Valerie, Di, and Cliff (played by Kerrie Taylor, Gracy Goldman, and Bonnie Baddoo) set the tone for the whole production, which is brilliantly cast. What we have really missed from live theatre has been seeing that spark between two actors onstage in person and here, the stage is rife with sparks and chemistry. Taylor’s focus is awe-inspiring, and her embodiment of the character is gripping. 

Churchill’s stichomythic dialogue really shone in Three Sleepless Nights, the second of the four short plays. The performances of Paul McGann and Gracy Goldman (Margaret and Frank) in the first scene are so brutally honest and this is matched throughout. The final scene, between Goldman and Dan Gaisford (Margaret and Pete) feels so human that you feel yourself reflected in it. I challenge anyone to not see at least a fragment of their own life or relationship reflected at them in this short play. If not, your life is idyllic, or you are probably lying! The energy and tension at the end of the scene between Gaisford and Verna Vyas (Pete and Dawn) is palpable, and their senses of character are so utterly convincing, I was almost out of my seat in anticipation. 

Abortive opens Act 2 and continues the absolute honesty we received from the cast in Act 1. Difficult emotional experiences are portrayed with such conviction and baring of the soul that it feels like a true story rather than storytelling. Taylor really shines here, portraying a woman who has just had an abortion after being raped and trying to talk to her husband about it. The use of rain onstage really adds to the atmosphere and the desperateness of the situation. 

On that note, the set and lighting are fantastic. Minimal set is used to great effect, creating so many different atmospheres and settings. There is a fantastic 1970s vibe throughout and the cast’s use of mime where appropriate is convincing. The effectiveness of the set is demonstrated in the simple shifting of a bed and change of bedding to show a shift in location, whilst the lights are expertly utilised to demonstrate the shift between each short play, and to draw our eyes to certain characters or moments. 

Not Not Not Not Not Enough Oxygen closes the production as the final short play and does not disappoint. Portraying a dystopian society of haze, pollution, no running water, and permits to have children, it feels scarily realistic. This is down to the absolute conviction of the actors. A whole world is created and brought to life by Vyas and Gaisford who capture the desperation and acceptance of the dystopian world perfectly. The costumes in this play are phenomenal, with Gaisford wearing a mustard yellow tuxedo and Baddoo entering in red flares, red leather boots and a red hooded cape. 

Greenwich Theatre has certainly returned with a bang; with phenomenal actors, well-thought out and engaging direction, and a production that leaves you both thinking and wanting more, you must get to see this before it closes!

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Eliza Harris

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.