Review: FLYBY at Southwark Playhouse Borough

First off, let’s quickly unpack the pedigree which suggests that those who have signed-up to be a part of this challenging and often philosophical vehicle are more than blessed with credentials — be they performance skills, or abilities in other areas. Leading the charge are the excellent Stuart Thompson as Daniel and Poppy Gilbert as Emily. Through a sequence of flashbacks we learn that the couple came together but frequently put each other through torture by allowing triggers to ignite excoriating arguments where a subconscious need to inflict hurt and pain are intellectualised and delivered in angry outbursts, albeit acidly eloquent ones. Some of the tirades are truly mesmerising, whilst also being viciously spite-laden.

Emily's filmmaker father used her in some of his early (and quite evidently disturbing) movies, when she was a child. In one scene he frequently reminds her that they are both special people and superior in some way. He allows her to be complicit in his extra marital deceits by showing gratitude when she lies to her mother and covers for him. This clearly forms the basis for her unfortunate belief that relationships are a combative game of cat and mouse and that there are winners and losers. Meanwhile, Daniel occasionally veers perilously close to drippy as he accuses both Emily and her ball-breaking female boss, of being gloating bullies when they challenge Max a young entitled misogynist at work, who is firmly put in his place.

Daniel (whose surname is Defoe — cue knowing chuckles) is an astronaut, or at least has something mathematically important to do with the European Space Agency and decides to put millions of miles between himself and Emily after their break-up. Having commandeered one of the organisation's spacecraft, we repeatedly return to him clad in his spacesuit, knees pulled up to his chin, as he muses over various elements of his life to date and the metrics which are relevant to his journey - distance, speed, fuel remaining and significantly, morale.

It’s baffling and oddly surreal, whilst also weirdly compelling stuff. The string-heavy melodies are often beautifully structured as played by the six-piece led by Dave Malloy with the musicians deployed behind screening above the playing area. The barrier also acts as a projection wall for the interstellar cosmic-ness of proceedings and at one point, a dizzying list of instances where Daniel has felt on the receiving end of unkindnesses. These start with being slapped on the backside after birth and run to many thousands of bizarrely over-sensitive column entries. Most resilient individuals would probably dismiss the overwhelming majority and chalk-up the examples to developmental life-learning. The lyrics are intellectually adept and crisp, but occasionally trip into emotional vagaries many of which are delivered by the largely under-used supporting cast members Rupert Young, Simbi Akande and Gina Beck who wander in and out of scenes seemingly trying to make sense of things for us but often looking ethereal and baffled by the task.

In all, a rather mixed bag of inventive ideas which somehow haven’t quite gelled into a satisfying whole. There is undoubtedly a show here, but as yet, despite some strong elements, it doesn’t quite land.

FLYBY continues at Southwark Playhouse until 16th May and runs roughly 100 minutes straight through.

FLYBY Tickets