Flyby Review: Interstellar Musical Explores Toxic Romance with Ambition and Flaws
This review examines 'Flyby,' a new dark musical by Theo Jamieson and Adam Lenson currently staging at Southwark Playhouse Borough in London. The production features an inventive, non-sequential narrative that blends interstellar travel metaphors with the emotional wreckage of a mutually destructive relationship between Daniel, an astronaut who goes AWOL, and Emily, his partner. Stuart Thompson and Poppy Gilbert deliver powerful performances as the lead characters, whose backstories reveal formative traumas and family betrayals. While the music is praised for its Sondheim-like complexity and soaring quality, the critique highlights significant structural imperfections. The narrative motivation appears disjointed, and the central space metaphor feels overstretched. Additionally, the storytelling shifts unevenly between protagonists, and certain plot points remain unresolved. Despite these flaws, the review acknowledges the show's epic strangeness and potential, comparing it favorably to mental-health dramas like 'Next to Normal.' The article suggests that with artful reordering and tighter scripting, the musical could achieve brilliance. It remains on stage until May 16, offering a visceral, albeit imperfect, theatrical experience.
Wire timeline
Flyby Review: Interstellar Musical Explores Toxic Romance with Ambition and Flaws
This review examines 'Flyby,' a new dark musical by Theo Jamieson and Adam Lenson currently staging at Southwark Playhouse Borough in London. The production features an inventive, non-sequential narrative that blends interstellar travel metaphors with the emotional wreckage of a mutually destructive relationship between Daniel, an astronaut who goes AWOL, and Emily, his partner. Stuart Thompson and Poppy Gilbert deliver powerful performances as the lead characters, whose backstories reveal formative traumas and family betrayals. While the music is praised for its Sondheim-like complexity and soaring quality, the critique highlights significant structural imperfections. The narrative motivation appears disjointed, and the central space metaphor feels overstretched. Additionally, the storytelling shifts unevenly between protagonists, and certain plot points remain unresolved. Despite these flaws, the review acknowledges the show's epic strangeness and potential, comparing it favorably to mental-health dramas like 'Next to Normal.' The article suggests that with artful reordering and tighter scripting, the musical could achieve brilliance. It remains on stage until May 16, offering a visceral, albeit imperfect, theatrical experience.
The Guardian