Review Roundup: FLY MORE THAN YOU FALL at Southwark Playhouse

Keala Settle, Robyn Rose-Li and more star in the new musical Fly More Than You Fall at Southwark Playhouse.

When Malia’s mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, her life is thrown into turmoil. Yet as she navigates the next stage of her own life, Malia finds solace and strength in her writing and in her stories, Malia creates an imaginative world where a brave bird named Willow mirrors her own journey of resilience and growth. Based on lived experiences, the uplifting and inspiring show navigates grief with some incredible songs that are bound to get stuck in your head! This isn’t just a musical, it’s a journey that will break your heart and mend it all in one night.

Fly More Than You Fall features Book & Lyrics by Eric Holmes (TV’s The Good Fight, Smash), Music & Lyrics by Nat Zegree, is directed by Christian Durham. Fly More Than You Fall is being lead produced by Tony & Olivier Award winner Marc David Levine (Hadestown, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, TINA - The Tina Turner Musical). See what the critics are saying...

Amber-Rae Stobbs, BroadwayWorld: As I’m sure we all can agree, when you see a production, more often than not, there is one song that we would believe okay if it were cut. A song that either didn't resonate with you, wasn’t your taste, or maybe didn’t aid the story very well. And that is normal. It’s good to have opinions. However, stepping out of the theatre last night, I couldn’t think of a single song that did not deserve to be there. In musical theatre, when a character cannot express how they feel in spoken text, they sing. Every ounce of their being pushes them to sing. The majority of this production is sung, leaving the moments that are purely spoken to really hit - almost like a reverse effect of the normal musical theatre structure - and wow does it work!

Arifa Akbar, The Guardian: There are peculiarities, such as the set, which is a confusion of stairs and an ascending mound of pastel paper that represents a mountain in Malia’s fictional story. Overall it makes for a rather un-British experience, but it creeps into its own brilliance, in spite of the heavy doses of sentimentality. You can’t but be affected by the story, and blown away by the songs.

Laura Harris, West End Best Friend: Fly More Than You Fall is a triumph, blending imaginative storytelling, emotional complexity, and outstanding performances under the expert direction of Christian Durham. Fly More Than You Fall isn’t just a musical; it’s a rare theatrical experience that leaves audiences with a deeper understanding of grief, resilience, and the power of human connection. It’s a must-see for anyone seeking a moving exploration of life’s most challenging moments, and an experience that will linger long after the final bow.

Chris Omaweng , LondonTheatre1: But it is too harsh to conclude that Fly More Than You Fall falls more than it flies. In terms of production values, it works well, with Sam Vincent’s sound design striking a good balance between the band and the cast’s voices, quite critical in a show with rapidly delivered lyrics. The show seemed to strike a chord with some in the press night audience, though I wasn’t sure if the sniffling towards the end was down to the emotional poignancy of the show or the air conditioning being on in a London theatre in late October.

Paul Vale, The Stage: Holmes and Zegree’s brave, original musical tackles its difficult subject matter head-on, but it often seems that the writers have bitten off more than they can chew. Malia’s writing project becomes a metaphor for the grieving process, and Holmes dramatises her fiction as she rewrites the text. It’s an interesting theatrical device that occasionally helps to relieve the tension and serves to inform us of Malia’s state of mind. But the dialogue veers too often between cliché and melodrama, with a disregard for thoughtful character development.

Ke Meng, Theatre Weekly: The dreamlike set designed by Stewart J. Charlesworth features an angelic bird made of writing scratches, and Jack Weir’s lighting transitions scenes swiftly with Sam Vincent’s melodic piano score. With such delicacy, Fly More Than You Fall is a well-crafted musical not lacking in its visuals but could benefit from exploiting its core message more profoundly.

Average Rating: 71.7%