Flyology
Through a whirlwind collision of history, feminism and present day chaos, Flyology lands at the Union Theatre with plenty of ambition and enough vocal power to shake the rafters. The concept? Certainly out there. The commitment to it? Completely unwavering.
With music by Tamiko Dooley and book by Cathy Farmer, the show throws historical female figures headfirst into a world of modern technology, contemporary humour and culture-clash comedy. The juxtaposition game is strong. Vintage meets virtual reality, though the transitions between the two worlds could have been far smoother and far funnier. There’s comedy gold hidden in the premise that occasionally buzzes into life, but the sharper witty lines are unfortunately few and far between.
Still, the cast keep things airborne. Meg Abbott’s Ada Lovelace, Ashleigh Cassidy’s Ethel Smyth and Aisling Jones’ Emmeline Pankhurst all bring strong sentiment and solid portrayals to their roles. Although they are strongly united by resilience and defiance, each character still manages to feel distinct. Charlie Renwick’s Callum helps anchor the chaos, and collectively the cast feel comfortable on stage, vocally strong and reassuringly in control — the theatrical equivalent of hearing “the captain has switched on the seatbelt sign.”
The songs themselves are undeniably the production’s strongest asset. Several numbers have genuine showstopper potential and Dooley’s soundtrack often gives the show the lift it needs. However, many of the songs suffer from being frustratingly short. Just as they begin building momentum, emotional depth or musical complexity, they abruptly end, leaving the audience emotionally mid-air with no runway in sight. At times, the songs feel written separately from the storyline rather than woven into it, often reaffirming feelings instead of actively pushing the plot forward. Additional harmonies and fuller vocal layering could also elevate several numbers even further.
Visually, the costumes do the job well enough, while Joshua Benmore’s set design feels functional but sparse. Given the rich contrast between historical figures and futuristic settings, there was room for far more detail and visual comedy. Perhaps a wasted opportunity for the moment where the women stumble across modern props in confusion. Imagine Emmeline Pankhurst trying to decode a paid of ear pods.
Directed by Craig McKenzie, with choreography from Grace Browning and lighting by Adam Gregory, the show clearly has passion behind it. The lesbian subplot, however, feels somewhat randomly inserted and underdeveloped, appearing more as an afterthought than an organic narrative thread.
That said, Flyology does manage to stick the landing with a genuinely interesting twist at the end, leaving audiences on a stronger note than the occasionally chaotic journey that precedes it.
There’s huge potential here. With a tighter script, smoother musical transitions and more confidence in fully embracing the absurd nature of the show, this could evolve into something far more polished. For now, Flyology may not fully take flight.. but its soundtrack certainly has wings!
This show was reviewed on the 6th of May 2026 at The Union Theatre. Tickets available here: https://uniontheatre.biz/show/flyology/
Review written by Lauren Atkinson
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Photo credit: Tom Chaplin
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