‘A show that leaves you winded with hope and grief’
‘Flight’, based on the novel Hinterland by Caroline Brothers, was adapted by Oliver Emanuel and directed by Jamie Harrison and Candice Edmunds. Originally commissioned by the Edinburgh International Festival in 2017, it is an experience like none other, seen by audiences across the world. The sixty-five minute performance consisted of voice acting, music, lighting, and small models, exploring the journey of two young brothers travelling from Kabul to London. Equal parts creative, beautiful, and devastating, ‘Flight’ delves into the cruelties and dangers faced by refugees on their journey west.
The composition of the performance was unique and only added to the incredible experience. Each audience member was led to their own private booth, where they could watch the story unfold and listen through a pair of headphones. Staged in this way, it left the audience closer than ever to the two brothers whose stories the performance follows. The figures were displayed on a revolving set which lit up to draw the audience’s attention to the correct relevant panels. Enrapturing and spellbinding, the audience, at first, is charmed by the intricacy of the set. Every figure was clearly crafted with care and hard work; the details, varied and multitudinous, to capture the brothers’ emotion and dialogue.
In regards to the plot itself, the story that was told was beautiful, a considered mix of hope and tragedy. Unlike in theatre, where the audience are drawn in by the realness of the actors’ bodies and movement, ‘Flight’ was contained to still images and the model figures, but by no means did this detract from how engaged the audience felt. A sense of deep grief haunted the performance from start to finish, the connection to real stories and real refugees never out of mind. The story portrays the struggles of refugee children with honor and love without sugarcoating the atrocities faced.
At times it was difficult to connect the auditory experience with the visual. Some images felt untethered from the story being told, or slightly hindered by the lack of any movement. Moments felt rushed – the ending, in particular, perhaps could have been longer, exploring the repercussions of the final leg of their journey and the toll it took on the younger brother’s psyche. Some of the themes only had time to be explored briefly, and it would have been helpful to have a slightly longer performance runtime. Nonetheless, parts of this criticism can also be attributed to the haziness of a child reminiscing on a traumatic, years-long event: not everything will be remembered. If this was the effect that was meant, making this clearer would perhaps aid the audience in understanding this. Despite this, the performance as a whole was immensely powerful, and packed a punch that won’t be forgotten any time soon.
As a performance, ‘Flight’ is incredible. As a story, especially one based on real lived experience, ‘Flight’ is devastating. Vox Motus, the company behind the show, are gloriously forthright in their devotion to exploring stories that “challenge understanding of the world” (a quote taken from their website). Their performances are incredibly vital to contemporary societies worldwide, the themes and stories they tell equally brilliant and emotional. At its heart, ‘Flight’ is a show you don’t want to miss as long as you heed the content warnings: every part is designed with care and love, and is a breathtaking experience.
‘Flight’ runs until Saturday 4th April at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow. Tickets for the show can be purchased here: https://citz.co.uk/whats-on/flight/#book.