Flyby struggles to hold its course at Southwark Playhouse

Southwark Playhouse Borough | until 16th of May

Ground control to confusion – a space-age musical loses its way in orbit

Flyby, a new musical by Theo Jamieson and Adam Lenson, arrives with a sense of intrigue. Space travel is having a moment with the Artemis moon mission and the film Project Hail Mary. This new musical leans into that curiosity, with a compelling premise. An astronaut disappears into space, and the story promises to explore the emotional fallout left behind.

It’s a strong opening idea. But what follows is a production that struggles to translate that idea into something coherent.

We are introduced to Daniel Defoe (beautifully sung and performed by Stuart Thompson), a European Space Agency astronaut who vanishes mid-mission. From there, the narrative fractures into a series of flashbacks charting his relationship with Emily (played by Poppy Gilbert, in another powerhouse vocal performance). The story is told out of sequence, with scenes looping back on themselves and overlapping in ways that feel more confusing than illuminating.

There is clearly depth in the material. Both characters are shaped by trauma, and the piece attempts to explore how past damage seeps into present relationships. Emily’s history, particularly her relationship with her father, is threaded through the piece, while Daniel’s emotional detachment and the reasons for it gradually come into focus.

But the problem is not the ambition. It is the execution. The storytelling is often so opaque that it becomes difficult to engage with the characters on any meaningful level. Instead of drawing the audience in, the fragmented structure keeps us at arm’s length. You find yourself trying to piece together what is happening rather than feeling it.

At just under two hours without an interval, that lack of clarity becomes increasingly wearing. The piece does not so much unfold as circle itself, and the absence of narrative drive makes the evening feel longer than it needs to be. And yet, frustratingly, there is a great deal here that works.

The score is striking. It leans firmly into contemporary musical theatre (think Adam Guettel and Myths and Hymns), and that works in its favour. The music carries emotional weight that the script sometimes struggles to deliver and is thrillingly performed by the six-piece band led by Ben Kubiak.

Vocally, the cast are excellent. There is real strength in the performances, and the musicianship throughout is of a high standard. You are constantly aware that you are in capable hands.

Visually, the production makes strong use of projection to expand the space. For a studio theatre, it feels ambitious, and at times it creates genuinely arresting images. But these elements cannot fully compensate for a lack of clarity at the core.

The use of three narrators, who shift between roles, works well to guide us through the story and they effectively morph into various roles. They could be used to clarify the story without becoming didactic. Unfortunately, in its current state, they just add to the confusion.

And then there is the turtle. Its late appearance, following an earlier anecdote, feels symbolic but without a clear idea of what it is supposed to symbolise.

It would be easy to dismiss Flyby outright, as indeed some of the reviews have, one dismissing it as “astronomically bad”. There is too much promise here for that, but it does need development. The narrative requires tightening, the emotional journey needs clarifying, and the audience needs a clearer way into the story being told.

If you enjoy contemporary musical theatre and are open to something unconventional, it is worth seeing. There is value in being part of a show’s early life, and this feels like a piece that could evolve into something quite special.

If, however, you are looking for a traditional, polished musical in the vein of 42nd Street, this may not be the journey for you.

The choice, as ever, is yours.

A bold new musical that drifts between brilliance and confusion with a beautiful score and big ideas. It is fascinating, frustrating, and full of potential.

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