Flyby

In terms of distance, Flyby might be the biggest production I have ever seen put to stage. A story taking place not just on Earth but also in a spacecraft hundreds of thousands of miles away in the vast emptiness of space, this new musical was first developed by the National Theatre in 2025. It is now having its world premiere at Southwark Playhouse Borough for six weeks only, running until May 16th.

The ever-adaptive Southwark Playhouse Borough continues to impress me with the versatility of its performing space. This time, set designer Libby Todd has crafted a simple and striking stage enclosed by walls and panels evocative of science-fiction. These walls are used incredibly well throughout via projections and videos courtesy of Adam Lenson. Whether it's displaying data and story building documents or projecting the infinite space, Lenson's designs go a long way in bringing scale to the production. The story itself shifts between past and present through flashbacks and space logs, a device that is handled with real clarity and keeps the audience engaged as the full picture of Daniel and Emily's relationship slowly comes into focus.

Flyby is the brainchild of Theo Jamieson and Adam Lenson and it is clear how much passion they have for the project. That passion clearly has spread to the entire cast and crew which always brings an extra level to productions. The five performers in the cast provide strong vocals which are supported by an equally talented band who together showcase Jamieson's work. 

At the centre of the story is Daniel and Emily, played by Stuart Thompson and Poppy Gilbert respectively. Both performers bring real complexity to their roles, reflecting the passionate and combustible relationship at the heart of the story. The two performers give it their all for the entire 1 hour and 45 minutes and bring these complex, flawed characters to life. Gilbert in particular, brings an explosive energy in her performance delivering very frantic dialogue as the character of Emily lays out every single one of her thoughts throughout the story. Likewise, Thompson brings a different but equal energy in his multiple moments on the stage alone when he portrays a man completely isolated aside from the thoughts in his own mind as Daniel's psychological unravelling becomes ever more apparent.The three supporting cast members, Gina Beck, Rupert Young and Simbi Akande all provide solid structure in helping to build out the world providing not just vocals but additional context in the form of a series of micro lectures that really add to the worldbuilding of the piece. 

Flyby is undoubtedly an ambitious piece of theatre. Attempting to tell a story that spans the vastness of space itself is a huge undertaking and Theo Jamieson and Adam Lenson have some incredibly bold ideas. To get to this stage of production is itself a feat in which the entire crew should be proud of. At its heart, Flyby is a story about the magnetism of desire, the inescapable pull between two people and their need to feel deeply and recklessly alive and those themes resonate long after the final scene. The show's world premiere status means there is still room to grow and refine, but the foundations are undeniably strong. While there are still elements that could use work and time to develop, Flyby shows a lot of promise in its journey as a completely unique, cosmic musical.