”Mayflies” at York Theatre Royal review – three versions of one ‘marvellously sure-footed’ musical

However, this undersells the ambition of the production to a major extent. There are, in fact, three actors, the wonderful Remi Sutton flitting from Fly to May. Seeing a preview performance three evenings before (Emma Thornett as Fly) brought home the contrasts between the three versions: Thornett and Sutton made little of the single-gender nature of the affair and the total changes in costume emphasised that these were different people reciting the same lines. As Gowland put it in the programme, it was a matter of “writing a show without the obvious markers of identity: gender, age, race, sexuality, disability” – and on the strength of two out of three (sorry, Queimado and Thornett, I never got to see your version) he pulls it off triumphantly.

The “mayflies” motif has less bearing on proceedings: apparently following the mayflies’ cycle in slow-time, after two years of mainly on-line communication May and Fly take the plunge, closely followed by the end of the relationship, with Fly reminding us that there is a difference between running and knowing when is the time to leave. Whatever version you see, Gowland has a neat little surprise at the end.

Tania Azevedo’s production is marvellously sure-footed on TK Hay’s elegant set: a seaside hotel room central surrounded by a staircase and an overlooking balcony, with steps and blocks coming down to the front of the stage. Reactions between very brief scenes are smartly worked out with David Howe’s lighting changes and Chris Whybrow’s sound often isolating May and Fly in amused incomprehension.

Queimedo and Sutton project the doubts and uncertainties of their characters with spot-on timing and expressive facial reactions, and get plenty of comedy value out of pizzas and jigsaw puzzles. Both sing admirably, with Queimado a particular delight. “What do we do now?” becomes a recurring feature – sadly, when they do what they’ve always wanted to, it’s time for the whole thing to end.

Overall, it’s to be hoped that the good folk of York will follow the affair of May and Fly, with its hints and observations, in all three of its incarnations. For me, having seen two of three, I am astonished at Rumi Sutton’s versatility and Gus Gowland’s chutzpah!