Artistic Directors: David Rosenberg & Glen Neath
Nervousness about flying, claustrophobia or dislike of dark spaces should probably preclude a visit to Flight in the Galway International Arts Festival Garden space in Eyre Square. The performance takes place in a repurposed metal container, painted white outside and sufficiently large to take approximately 50 passengers willing to fly into the unknown. Before we embark, we are warned that the show takes place in pitch darkness and that if we have any qualms about remaining in absolute darkness for twenty-five minutes we should not continue on this journey. To ensure no one might venture onboard with mistaken optimism, there is a further opportunity for those who experience doubts once on board to change their minds and disembark before the darkness descends permanently. So begins the flight from hell; we have been warned and must fly of our own free will. Once any nervous flyers are outed and ejected, the flight preparations begin and things only get more nerve-racking. This aeroplane is crocked, there’s no toilet in economy, the steward’s tannoy is not working properly, a Mr Schrödinger appears to be missing and we hear way too much of the Captain’s conversations, which is not a good thing.
A nervous sense of anticipation descends as we hand over our safety to Darkfield’s team of air flight attendants – not least because they all seem a little mad. However we are now part of this show and once committed things flow very well, the team behind the experience are clearly experts in inducing fear. We sit in genuine flight seats, arranged in rows as per a normal aeroplane experience, ear-phones on with left and right correctly aligned and seatbelt correctly fastened. Things accelerate quickly, as does the aeroplane, and without spoiling the anticipation for those audiences yet to visit, all of your worst flight nightmares are realised, not least the cacophony of crying babies. Actually, those babies are far from the worst of this experience and the creators are to be lauded for the excellent technological accuracy and realism of the flight. Some aspects are genuinely awful and leave you wanting to rip off the headphones and escape from the plane (the creepy voice that is just beside your ear, so close you can feel its breath…or can you?) but we’re compelled to continue on this existential journey, apparently in the company of that Mr. Schrödinger’s cat.
Flight is a terrifying, hilarious ride and brilliant fun too.
Runs Until 29th July 2026.
