(Beware! Spoilers below!)
Enter Jenny, Mary, and Kris, who are hoping to become pilots, and they sing about their aspirations to fly (“Breath of Angels”).
It’s 1938, and at an airfield in England, crowds have gathered for the Empire Air Day. A chauvinistic Jimmy praises all the women who are rallying to the flag. And with all the advances women have made, having the vote, and having new home appliances, he asks what more could a girl want. Jenny is having a picnic with her aunt Joy and father William, dreaming and talking about her desire to be an aviator, which is mostly ignored, or told that it is simply just for men. A friend of the family arrives, a pompous bore called Berty (Jimmy), who leads a jingoistic patriotic song (“Empire Air Day”) and then dismisses Jenny’s ambitions. Her aunt Joy, however, encourages Jenny to join the Civil Air Guard. George, a pilot, walks past, drops his goggles, which Jenny picks up and takes to him. Intrigued at meeting a real airman Jenny tries on the goggles, which she quickly removes when her father notices.
Jenny, thanks to Joy, joins the Civil Air Guard and learns to fly (“Breath of Angels” reprise) but her hopes are dashed when war is declared. She must stop flying and is told to do something more useful for the war effort. Persuaded by Joy, Jenny becomes a nurse and along with her father William, who has rejoined the Army, they travel to France (“Men of Britain”) and during the evacuation of the British forces from Dunkirk William is captured.
On her return Jenny is welcomed by Joy, and finds out that her father has been captured. Jenny and Joy discuss Jenny’s awful experiences at Dunkirk and their exchange of letters. Joy also shares the content of letters from her husband, a pilot, received when she was a nurse in the First World War (“Letters from France”). Joy hands Jenny a letter from the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), who deliver aircraft around the country. They are seeking female pilots, and Jenny seizes the chance.
At the ATA offices, for their interview, Jenny is joined by fellow recruits Kris, a confident former actress, and the demure Mary, who grew up on a farm. Having been selected the girls form a strong friendship during their training (“Breath of Angels” reprise). Jenny, Kris, and Mary arrive at an RAF station to pick up some Spitfires, which is met with ignorant disbelief by the duty pilot (Jimmy) and a groundcrew ‘erk’, who can’t believe they’ve actually sent women. Jenny, Kris, and Mary seize the opportunity and, pretending to be silly innocent girls, sarcastically tease the pilot and erk.
At the ATA billets Joy is having tea with Jenny, when Mary and Kris arrive. Mary is carrying a pheasant that was killed when it hit her aircraft, and she considers how best to cook it. Joy helps Kris sort through all the letters received from male suitors, and Mary tells them about her first love, a pilot called Desmond, who was killed earlier in the war. All four perform a spoof about romance in wartime, chivalry, and rationing (“The Ministry of Wartime Romance”).
Jimmy, now a recruitment sergeant, struts his stuff with chest out and tempts Simon and Eric, from Barbados, to sign up for the RAF (“What About the RAF?”). Having been recruited Simon, an ‘Observer’, and Eric, an ‘Air Gunner’, team up with pilot George to crew Blenheims on an operational squadron.
Having just returned from a dangerous operation over Germany, George, Simon and Eric are having a drink in a pub when Jenny, Kris and Mary enter. As the boys try and work out the meaning of the girls’ uniforms, George recognises Jenny as the girl who tried on his goggles at the Empire Air Day. Simon takes exception when Jenny mocks him for being a failed pilot, and Eric teases Kris about her accent. The six pair off for a dance, Simon with Mary, Kris with Eric, and George with Jenny (“Wingman”).
In an aircraft hangar, decorated as a ballroom, Jenny, Kris, and Mary take to the stage and perform a big band swing piece about being in the ATA (“Attagirls”). Mary tells Simon that she is going to fly the world solo. Simon, undaunted, tries to woo Mary but she is inwardly reluctant owing to the loss of her previous love Desmond. Jenny tells George about the time she delivered a bomber to an RAF station at which an arrogant RAF officer (Jimmy) simply could not believe she had flown it, and he orders some groundcrew to scour the aircraft and try to find someone with a moustache. George offers to take Jenny to dinner, but she becomes defensive. They perform a verbal ‘dogfight’ as George hams up being honourable and chivalrous, which is met with considerable tongue-in-cheek scepticism by Jenny (“Saint George”). George finally persuades Jenny to come to London, with Simon, Eric, Kris and Mary, when they next have leave.
At the ATA airfield, on the morning of their planned trip to London, Kris teases and flirts with a male duty officer. Mary enters covered in white powder, her compact having fallen out when she flew upside down. At the RAF station, George, Simon, and Eric prepare to go on an operation, meanwhile the girls, now in their billets, excitedly prepare and pack their kit and dresses (“The Burning Blue”). On the return from the operation, as they fly over England, Simon, now in the pilot seat and with the aircraft badly damaged, radios in an emergency Mayday, and George, bloodied and burnt, slipping in and out of consciousness, is being tended by a badly wounded Eric.
Act Two
At the RAF airfield Wing Commander Oswald is in the control tower and they await the return of crews from the operation. Jenny, Kris, and Mary arrive, and a Mayday comes in. It is Simon, saying they are badly shot up and need to land quickly. Oswald talks Simon through the landing procedure and Simon notices that the ATA aircraft is on the airfield. Jenny talks with Simon over the radio, but Mary can’t, she is too distressed. The girls watch as the Blenheim crash lands and bursts into flames (“Letters from France” reprise).
Jimmy, drunk, sings a bawdy song and tells everyone to keep calm and carry on, despite Simon’s death and George and Eric’s injuries. George, suffering with facial burns, and Eric who has lost half a leg, are in hospital being looked after by Joy, who has returned to nursing duties. They playfully compare wounds and flirt with Joy (“Nurse of the Year”). Jenny, Kris and Mary arrive and after Jenny reveals that Joy is her aunt, much to George’s embarrassment, they get permission to take George and Eric to the bar at a local hotel.
At the hotel Eric, worried that he and Kris will remain a couple, tells Kris that he has written her a song (“Smiling in Blue”). Kris reassures Eric that she has no intention of leaving him. Jenny goes outside to find George listening to aircraft flying overhead on their way to Germany. Jenny attempts to console George, but it is clear he is suffering with survivor’s guilt and post-trauma anxiety. Jenny tries to dance with George, but he refuses, conscious of his facial scars. Jenny swops the traditional male/female stance so that his scars are turned away, but George again backs away unable to find joy in dancing anymore.
Jenny, Kris, Mary, George and Eric attend Simon’s funeral, and Mary laments Simon’s loss (“Pie Jesu”). George, struggling with guilt having met Simon’s parents, wrestles with his thoughts and how to cope with what he experienced and saw (“Survivor”).
At Jenny’s home, she updates Joy on her progress with flying. Joy tells Jenny about when she first met her husband Anthony, just before he went to France in the First World War and how the experience changed them (“One Day One Night”). Jenny fears that her relationship with George will follow the same path.
At the ATA airfield Kris is receiving her flying duties when Jenny enters distressed. She was flying in formation with Mary, when the engine on Mary’s Spitfire caught fire and she had to bail out, into the Sea. News comes through from Air Sea Rescue that wreckage has been found but no pilot. Jenny notices Mary’s compact, which she usually took with her, on the mantelpiece (“Beyond the Looks”). Later, Jenny, in a state of distress, and believing Mary is lost, calls Joy, who encourages her to show resolve and keep flying. Jenny also questions her relationship with George, not wanting to expose herself to further psychological trauma. Joy tells Jenny she needs to open up to George. Jimmy enters and congratulates Joy on her stiff upper lip approach. Joy turns on Jimmy castigating him as he won’t be the one dealing with the aftereffects of the war (“Pick up the Pieces”).
At the ATA offices a subdued Kris and Jenny await their flying duties. Mary enters, carrying a cod. She survived bailing out and was picked up by a trawler, making light of the whole incident (“Smiling in Blue” reprise).
At Jenny’s ATA billets Joy and George await Jenny’s arrival. Despite his injuries George is now considering joining the ATA and Joy encourages George to speak with Jenny about his psychological trauma. Joy tells George about an incident that occurred at Dunkirk. (George believes it relates to one of Joy’s experiences in the First World War, when in fact it happened to Jenny.)
Flashback to a ruined house near Dunkirk, Jenny as a nurse is told to administer morphine to a dying soldier to ease his suffering. As she does so the soldier mistakes Jenny for his wife, and Jenny consoles him and he dies.
Back at the ATA billets Joy reveals to George that the story is about Jenny.
Jenny arrives and is unaware that Joy has told George the story about Dunkirk. After George and Jenny have left Joy thinks back to the loving relationship she had with her late husband and hopes George and Jenny can find a similar love (“My Hope My Love”).
At a restaurant Jenny is about to tell George that she thinks their relationship should end. George reveals what Joy had told him about Dunkirk, and he mentions he has decided to join the ATA. George asks Jenny to come with him to a dance, and Jenny offers to teach George a dance, during which they face each other in the traditional male/female position, exposing George’s scars directly to Jenny (“Wingman”).
A patriotic Jimmy takes the stage with news that the war is coming to an end. A telegram arrives saying that William has been released from captivity. Jenny, Kris, and Mary fly to an RAF airfield and pick up William. At the family home there is an emotional reunion and George proposes to Jenny (“At Peace Now”). The war ends and celebrations begin (“Finale”).
Musical Numbers
Act One
“Breath of Angels” – Jenny, Mary, and Kris
“Empire Air Day” – Jimmy and Full Company
“Breath of Angels” reprise – Jenny
“Men of Britain” – Jimmy and Full Company
“Letters from France” – Jenny and Joy
“Breath of Angels” reprise – Jenny, Mary and Kris
“What About the RAF?” – Jimmy, George, Simon and Eric
“The Ministry of Wartime Romance” – Jenny, Mary, Kris, and Joy
“Wingman” – Jenny and George
“Attagirls” – Jenny, Mary and Kris
“Saint George” – Jenny and George
“The Burning Blue – Jenny, Mary, Kris, George, Simon, and Eric
Act Two
“Letters from France” reprise – Jenny
“Nurse of the Year” – Joy, George and Eric
“Smiling in Blue” – Eric and Kris
“Pie Jesu” – Mary
“Survivor” – George
“One Day One Night” – Joy and Jenny
“Beyond the Looks” – Jenny
“Pick up the Pieces” – Joy, Jenny, Mary and Kris
“Smiling in Blue” reprise – Jenny and Kris
“My Hope My Love” – Joy
“Wingman” – Jenny and George
“At Peace Now” – Joy and Full Company
“Finale” – Full Company
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