In 2015 Vox Motus had massive success with their young adult puppetry show Dragon. With Flight they are returning to The Edinburgh International Festival to present a world premiere at the Church Hill Theatre to the south of the city.
As the audience enter the venue they are divided up into groups and instructed to leave their bags and large coats in the waiting area. This is an indication that Flight may not be a typical theatre performance and that we may be in line to experience something different and unique.
The production is an adaptation of the young adult novel Hinterland by Caroline Brothers and takes a mature and heartfelt look at the refugee crisis. The show is definitely original in its form. Audience members are given their own personal booth in which they experience the show. From this position drama and magic unfolds before your eyes. To give greater detail would remove some of the joy of the show, however what occurs can be best described as an unfurling comic book that invites the audience into the story. Any great graphic novel will make use of space, perspective, lighting and shadow. Flight does all these things and the style is majestic and fanciful.
We follow two Afghan children who make their way across Europe. The story is gripping and when sexual violence and tragedy occurs, the shock is unnerving and powerful. The storytelling is masterful with the words, music and sounds being delivered directly into your ears via a headset. This creates an intimate and engrossing atmosphere that heightens the drama and at moments can leave you feeling breathless and thoroughly engaged.
Flight is such a unique and original experience it seems a disservice to describe it further. The nature of the production makes it distinctive, but the harrowing story of hope is what lingers when you leave the theatre space.