Review: Flying Ant Day, Union Theatre 

Let’s talk about death.   

Not from any unhealthy fixation, but because playwright Joey Ellis wants us, as a society, to talk about it more. It is something everyone has in common after all. In Flying Ant Day, he explores this through the reactions of one dysfunctional family each grieving in their own way.   

Matriarch Ansi (Gayané Kaligian) is dying and family members have been summoned to her bedside. Each of them is accompanied by a significant other and an ‘issue’ or two, not least of which that they do not appear to have seen or communicated with their mother or each other for several years.   

Son Glen (Alex Gannon) has money problems having recently been made redundant, constant arguments with alcoholic wife Brooke (Reagan Madilyn Martin) not helping matters. Eldest daughter Kate (Heather Kirk) is becoming detached, distancing herself from her wife Ana (Yeo Dana) and teenage son Sam (Daniel Hintner). Socially inept Sam is considered weird at school, his introvert behaviour apparently arising from the death of his father: a significant event which is mentioned several times but the ‘when’ and ‘how’ remain ambiguous. Sam’s study partner Kit (Kirsty Campbell) has invited herself along as she has never seen a dead body. Younger daughter Renee (Kiera Murray) is accompanied by boyfriend Rob (Louie Wanless), both shallow and self-centred. The final family member is Phil (Fraser Adams). It took me quite a while to realise who this character was, no spoilers but earlier clarity would have made things easier to follow.   

An interesting mix of family dynamics with the one outsider, Jess, who is there to help facilitate Ansi’s death, follow. Not in an assisted dying way, rather to ensure her wishes about the family reuniting are fulfilled. Played by Fiona Cheng in a no-nonsense but slightly sinister way, there is an undercurrent of suspicion about her legitimacy.    

Such a large cast for a drama in a small performance area could easily descend into chaos. Thanks to Dean Elliott’s direction everything runs smoothly, the stage never feeling over-crowded and each cast member having the space to be seen and heard. It is difficult to single out any one performance as they are all really good, working together seamlessly, almost making the family unit a character in itself. There is one segment which sticks in the mind: a heartfelt scene where Glen and Phil reminisce on good times to be remembered. Poignant and perhaps the point at which individuals begin to change their grieving process.   

Despite the sombre subject matter there is a lot of humour scattered throughout keeping the audience engaged and giving some breaks in what would otherwise be quite relentless family bickering. The comedy ranges from some totally inappropriate behaviour, to the complete self-absorption of some characters and outspoken Kit saying it as it is. The play maintains a steady pace overall apart from the final scene which jars with what came before and feels unnecessary. It seems to be stating what the audience already grasps rather than adding anything new.   

With its mix of solemnity and dark humour Flying Ant Day successfully deals with what can be an uncomfortable and difficult subject with both humour and sensitivity. Themes of loss and mortality ultimately guide the characters to a more positive place, illustrating how talking openly about difficult subjects is better than letting things fester. 

Writer: Joey Ellis 
Director: Dean Elliott 
Producer: Strange Kin Theatre 
Originating Director: Gráinne Byrne 
Lighting Designer: Ben Lucas 
Vocal Coach: Zoe Zimin Ho 
Stage Manager: Carys Lester 

Flying Ant Day plays at the Union Theatre until Friday 27 February.