Around the World in 72 Days. Barons Court Theatre.

Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman, better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, was an American journalist who gained fame in the late 1880s for travelling around the world solo, with minimal luggage, and without a male escort. The trip was inspired by Jules Verne’s fictional character Phileas Fogg. Against the odds, Bly managed to complete the journey in 72 days, including a stop in France to meet Verne himself. Crew of Patches theatre company’s solid two-hander bioplay Around the World in 72 Days recounts the trip by way of Bly’s letters to her brother.

Rebekah McLoughlin’s Bly channels steely midwestern wholesomeness as she negotiates a host of obstacles, including storms, seasickness, noisy neighbours, missed connections, and unwanted male admirers.  At one point, she is saved by a ship’s officer from a lovestruck man determined to throw her and himself overboard. A complication arises midway when it becomes apparent that a competitor journalist and former friend is travelling the opposite way around the world, attempting to beat Bly home. The protagonist’s determination and bravery are certainly evident in this retelling.

The piece unfolds at a rattling pace, aided by a host of male cameo characters from James Lawton that include Bly’s boss and fellow journalists, various travelling companions, would-be love interests, and even an aged telegram messenger. Pre-recorded voice-overs take the total character count to twenty, which is a fair number to pack into a 55-minute piece.

The piece is based on Bly’s memoir of events, but one wonders at the sheer number of British expats she encounters on her journey.  Despite Lawton’s admirable ability to assume nearly every regional accent possible, the male characters occasionally coalesce into a single posh public school archetype. Nevertheless, there is light and shade here, and enough comic relief to make for an engaging period drama.

Writers and Directors:  Rebekah McLoughlin, James Lawton and Jeff King

Reviewed on 10 August 2025