Our House

About the show

This synopsis is based on the 2008 UK Tour version. Camden lad Joe Casey arrives to his house, later joined by his best friends Emmo and Lewis, his girlfriend Sarah, and her best friends Billie and Angie, where a party has been organised by his mother, Kath, for his sixteenth birthday ("Our House"). After the party, wanting to impress Sarah, Joe breaks into a building site to show her his street, Casey Street, from above. When the police arrive, Joe convinces Sarah to run away and is left with the decision of whether to run away or give himself up. The story splits into two paths revealed by the ghost of Joe's dead criminal dad: the right path where Joe gives himself up, and the wrong path where he runs away ("Simple Equation"). On the wrong path, Joe escapes the police but is berated by Sarah, and looked down upon by Dad. Joe, Emmo and Lewis drown their sorrows at the pub ("My Girl"). When Joe wakes up, he encounters Reecey, the school hardman, who offers Joe an opportunity to leave school and get involved with a "business idea" he has ("Baggy Trousers"). On the right path, the judge sentences Joe to go to a young offender institution. Joe is subsequently branded an embarrassment by neighbours and family members. Upon his release, Joe tries to get a job, but all of his interviews fail when he reveals that he is a young offender ("Embarrassment"). On the wrong path, Joe accepts Reecey's offer to work for him and they run a scam alarm company. Emmo and Lewis disapprove of Joe and Reecey's business, but are eventually convinced the business is a good idea when they experience some of the perks of Joe's lavish lifestyle ("Embarrassment – Reprise (Encouragement Version)"). On the right path, Joe has gotten a humiliating job wearing a sign pointing to a golf shop. Reecey offers to let Joe borrow one of his stolen cars, which Joe declines but it also gives him an idea; he rents a low quality car which Billie and Angie laugh at but Sarah loves ("Driving in my Car"). Sarah thanks Joe and invites him to a charity ball and offers to pay for a dinner jacket. He declines and Sarah is devastated ("My Girl - Reprise (Ballad Version)"). On the wrong path, Joe has started a building business, as well as a limousine business for Emmo and Lewis. Joe, Emmo and Lewis go out for drinks, and their waiter is Sarah, who they have not seen since school. Sarah criticises Joe's selfishness and his decision to run away from the building site when he asks about the charity ball, but confirms that he can come if he wants to. On the right path, Reecey approaches Joe as he walks home from work and convinces him to attempt to burgle a house ("Simple Equation - Reprise"). On the wrong path, Billie, Angie, Sarah, and her new friend Callum are at the charity ball. Joe arrives at the ball with a large donation, and he and Sarah dance ("The Return of the Los Palmas 7"). On the right path, Joe and Reecey are caught by the police, and each blames the other for the crime ("Shut Up"). Emmo and Lewis call Sarah, who arrives with Callum. The situation escalates, with Joe eventually punching Callum and a policeman. Joe says he wishes he had never met Sarah, causing her to storm off. Joe is sent back to prison. Meanwhile, on the wrong path, Joe and Sarah share a kiss, having rekindled their relationship ("Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)/The Sun and the Rain"). On the wrong path, Joe and Sarah are on a gondola, on their way to get married in Las Vegas ("Night Boat To Cairo"). While there, Joe encounters Mr Pressman, who gives Joe his business card. Joe and Sarah get married and a paradise wedding party ensues ("Wings of a Dove"). On the right path, Joe is released from prison, but doesn't go home. Kath is worried for him, as she now has two family members who went to prison and never came home ("One Better Day"). Mr Pressman meets with Kath to try and convince her to move out of 25 Casey Street so he can build it up; she refuses. Joe overhears Pressman's plans to get rid of number 25, and is now determined to track down Mr Pressman with a new mission: save 25 Casey Street ("Rise and Fall"). On both paths, Joe arrives at Mr Pressman's office ("House of Fun"). On the wrong path, Mr Pressman explains to Joe his plan to vacate and build up 25 Casey Street. Joe agrees to get Kath out of the house. On the right path, Joe enters Mr Pressman's office to argue against his plans, but Pressman doesn't pay attention to Joe. On the wrong path, while at dinner, Joe reveals his plans to move Kath out of Casey Street and rebuild it as Casey Boulevard. Lewis disagrees with Joe and leaves dinner. Joe looks to Sarah for support, but she also disagrees with him. Joe angrily leaves and Sarah laments on her feelings about Joe, remembering the night he ran away from the police. Meanwhile, Joe tells Mr Pressman he doesn't want to work on Casey Street anymore ("NW5"). On the right path, Joe looks for a lawyer, revealed to be Sarah, now engaged to Callum ("Embarrassment - Reprise (Law Firm)"). Joe decides he should find a different lawyer and leaves. Sarah realises she misses him and wants him back. On the wrong path, Joe is waiting for Mr Pressman's demolition expert, who is revealed to be Reecey. Joe tells Reecey to break into 25 Casey Street while Kath is out ("Simple Equation – Reprise"). On the right path, Sarah finds Joe sleeping in the now disheveled Morris Minor and they discuss Joe's while thinking about how much they miss each other. She reveals that 25 Casey Street was gifted to the Casey family. Joe praises her investigative skills and they hug, more in love than ever ("It Must Be Love"). Sarah also reveals she didn't get married. Secretly elated, Joe decides to go home to his mother. On the wrong path, Emmo and Lewis tell Joe that Kath didn't get in the limousine because she wanted to wait for Joe. Realising she'll still be home when Reecey breaks in, Joe runs home ("The Sun and the Rain"). On both paths, Reecey sets fire to 25 Casey Street, and both Joes arrive as the house is burning down. On the right path, Kath is safe, much to the relief of Joe. On the wrong path, Kath dies in the fire. At her funeral, Lewis blames Joe for her death and one by one, the others leave. Joe is charged with arson and manslaughter after Reecey names him as an accomplice. On the right path, Joe and Sarah get married. Joe talks with Kath, where he says he now understands his dad's situation better. He says he wishes he'd done things differently, to which his dad says that as long as he's with the people he loves, he's done the right thing. For a brief moment, Joe and Dad can finally hear each other. They share a touching moment as Dad leaves. Joe returns to the group for the wedding photo and the party ensues. Suddenly, Joe is thrust back to the night of the party and eventual break in. However, instead of breaking into the building site, he kisses Sarah before taking her out dancing ("Our House – Reprise").