Review: HAVE A NICE DAY!, Old Red Lion Theatre
Hayley Scott’s writing debut Have A Nice Day! is an intimate portrayal of two people attempting to readjust and find a level of ‘normality’ after their lives have drastically veered off track.
The Old Red Lion Theatre serves as the perfect performance space; with director Sofia Gallucci making use of its versatility by transforming the theatre into a bakery where the heart of the story takes place. The location is immediately clear using only minimal props, such as a trolley holding baking trays of pastries and a scattering of cardboard boxes to effectively portray the storage area of a working cafe. It’s the small details which really shine here, such as the performance area being marked out with a dusting of flour and the utilisation of boxes as indicators of the passing of time, with some clearly labelled with months of the year and presented to the forefront of the stage, driving the plotline forward and giving context to the current timeline. The back wall of the space has intermittent projections of what the audience can only assume are extracts from Alex’s (played by Emily Jackson) diary, although this is never fully addressed or explored in the detail it could have been. We know it is relevant from a minor mention in the script, but this element of the production perhaps falls a little flat in terms of the significance it is trying to achieve.
The writing is both heartwarming and raw, with the characters exploring their chemistry as both friends and lovers. The play gives a clear feeling of ‘right person, wrong time’, whilst also hashing out vulnerable themes of suicide, addiction and homophobia. We are given a lot to digest in a small space of time, but David Bourne successfully portrays Tom as a layered character, struggling with both his past addictions and the broken relationships within his family caused by his father’s homophobic behaviour towards Tom’s brother Ollie. Alex is also battling her own demons of depression and notably gives Tom her ‘no show’ contact number in the first scene; a number to call in case she ever doesn’t show up for work and why this would be an immediate cause for concern. Alex’s straightforward nature and need for consistency as she gets her life back on track is beautifully portrayed by Jackson with an adorable awkwardness, and the chemistry between the two characters radiates from the stage.
Have A Nice Day! tackles difficult conversations with warmth and softness. Although the themes are heavy, the performances keep the show light enough to induce laughs from the audience and give an honest portrayal of the non-linear path to healing.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Chess Hayden
Have A Nice Day! plays at The Old Red Lion until 25 November, with further information here.