Review: FLIGHT

Innovative ideas which don't quite take off

★★
theatre review (adelaide) | Read in About 2 minutes
Published 18 Feb 2019
32301 large
Flight

Before the show commences, we receive boarding passes that intentionally split existing groups up. Then we enter the container.

The interior looks very much like a passenger airline, complete with uncomfortable seats that don’t quite have enough legroom. It’s fair to say that this is not the only discomfort we’ll experience during the journey.

Everything starts on a conventional note with a safety announcement before things begin to turn a little strange. As well as turbulence in which the 'plane' judders convincingly, there are a number of unexpected twists. The use of headphones with binaural technology allows each passenger to have a voice speaking directly into their ear while they sit in complete darkness, ensuring that every passenger is isolated from those around them and has a unique, immersive experience. 

This show positions the audience as Schrödinger’s passengers, a group that has entered a temporary limbo. Giving much more away is difficult because it is designed to be disorienting. So at times it’s hard to follow what’s going on, and the story, minimal as it is, leaves a lot to the imagination. Once the lights go out, time is suspended and this adds to the sense of disorientation – though beyond this general unease there seems to be little substance to the show. The use of technology is innovative and the idea interesting, but ultimately the experience of this flight is unsatisfying.