An intelligent, witty script with catchy tunes. This is a brave new musical with stunning potential
On the same day radical feminists from Ukraine and Russia stormed the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, across the continent in London’s Union Theatre, three historical radical feminists are finally getting their flowers. Flyology’s premise is straightforward: An insufferable tech bro pitches an AI-VR system devoid of emotions that glitches to bring back Ethyl Smyth, Ada Lovelace and Emmeline Pankhurst. The three women toil over whether to head back to their respective timelines or push for meaningful change in the present day.
Composer and lyricist Tamiko Dooley’s songs allow each character to shine through (albeit too many) clever solos, using classical motifs complemented by clever techno beats, creating a sonic merging of the past and the future. Director Craig Mackenzie allows writer Cathy Farmer’s characters the space to explore themselves truthfully. A specific example is the clear research undertaken for Ada Lovelace and her explanations of logic, algorithms, and the concept of “lift” or flight (hence the show’s title) allowing her to demonstrate scientific prowess. She is afforded- as are all of the women – precious character arc. The plot is thin but the focus is the characters, although some current level of knowledge about them is presumed.
The vox machina of the System’s character evokes the sassy POD character from cult TV show Snog, Marry, Avoid providing an omniscient android voice narrating sarcastic yet slightly sinister exposition.. Callum (played by Charlie Renwick) is played deftly as a misogynist simpleton, a caricature who is meant to be ridiculed through hyperbole. It is easy to imagine Dooley met a lot of Callum types during her time at Oxford University. The irony is he is trying to remove women and their emotions from the system, retaining only logic and reasoning but this is of course counterbalanced by the queen of logic herself- Ada Lovelace (played by Meg Abbot). Her performance offers strong, beautiful vocal tones reminiscent of Cassie Levy, and an excellent acting range. Ethyl Smyth (played by Ashleigh Cassidy) is portrayed rather satisfyingly as a sexually forward, unapologetic agitator with great comic timing and drollness. Emmeline Pankhurst (played by Aishling Jones) has a mellifluous voice, playing the role so sincerely her character forms the perfect counterfoil to the brashness of Smyth and the academia of Lovelace.
This musical is about women’s ability to speak for themselves and to carve out their own path, with emotion and feelings presented as a feature and not a bug of the human experience. Even the vox machina (deliberately voiced as a female) eventually proves to be the puppet-master behind the whole enterprise, with a neat twist in the finale that reduces Callum to a blubbering idiot calling for his mummy, evidently demonstrating his reliance on femininity to save him and thus also betraying himself to be the most emotional of all.
This is a modern, intelligent production that is confident in what it is trying to say, which has stunning potential to be on a larger stage with a full orchestra and complex staging. Passing the Bechdel test rather successfully, the songs are catchy with genuine earworms, the characters compelling and unrepentant, and the humour lands in that sweet spot- relatable without being dated. A genuine labour of love vindicating the rights of women to own the ideas they create and to express the way they feel about them and each other on their own terms. Despite technical glitches and minimal budget, this is a fantastic little production with much to say.
Flyology is on at the Union Theatre, London until 8th May 2026