Rated 🍯🍯🍯🍯🍯
I Love to Fly is a play in pursuit of laughter - and something more
Set in the unassuming and transitional space of an airport boarding gate, I Love to Fly transports its audience into a world where life’s journeys—both physical and metaphorical—unfold with striking humour and poignant depth. The play’s action centers around boarding gate 17, where an eclectic mix of travelers pause briefly in their endless pursuit of destinations both new and familiar. Two chairs occupy the middle of the stage, perusing the travelers as they come and go, witnessing conversations that are as varied as the destinations of the world, ranging from the bittersweet to the downright absurd. If the two chairs could talk…
A Humorous Take on the Absurdity of Life
At its heart, I Love to Fly is a comedy. It’s the kind of play that lifts your spirits and leaves you feeling lighter as you walk out of the theatre. From the over-the-top in-flight announcements to the parody songs that take familiar musical numbers and twist them into something hilariously offbeat, the play doesn’t just poke fun at the world of air travel; it also provides deep vindication to the utter ennui and restlessness one often associates with the ordeal of relentlessly pursuing a destination, both physically and figuratively. As with the best comedies, there’s an undercurrent of something deeper. The humour is inextricably linked with the trials, tribulations, and absurdities that come with being human.
A Study in Disillusionment and Dark Humor
[Spoiler warning] Among the many characters that populate this play, the pilot stands out as particularly compelling, not just for his humor but for the way he encapsulates the play’s broader themes. When we first meet him, he’s brimming with excitement—a young pilot, just graduated, wide-eyed and full of wonder at the marvel of aviation. But as the play progresses, the pilot returns in a much different state. Now 15 years into his career, the sparkle has dimmed. The repetition and monotony of his job have worn him down, and the once thrilling take-offs and landings have become just another task in an endless loop of routine. [End of spoilers]
The bee can’t help but wonder if the play’s writer is speaking to the routine and mundane repetitiveness of life itself. One takes off, lands at a destination, only to take off again to the next one, endlessly pursuing one objective after another, as though one must keep moving in order to feel alive. An endless continuum with no beginning and no end, and nothing to do in the middle but pursue the next new beginning. The pilot jokes with a passenger about crashing the plane, and while it’s all delivered with a laugh, there’s a deeper truth behind his words—a recognition of the absurdity of existence and the creeping sense of despair that comes with it.
The bee feels his pain. In this moment, the play’s humor takes on a darker edge. The pilot’s jesting about crashing the plane isn’t just a throwaway joke; it’s a reflection of the existential dread that lurks beneath the surface of many of our lives. Yet, the play doesn’t dwell in this darkness. Instead, it uses the pilot’s journey to show how humor can be a way of coping with the more painful aspects of existence. The bee felt rescued and reminded of an important life lesson. Thank you, dear writer.
Minimalist Yet Mighty
Despite its simple set, I Love to Fly is a masterclass in how effective direction can elevate a production. The small stage in a pub theatre setting works to the play’s advantage, creating an intimacy that feels immediate and personal, as though the audience is sitting in on a private, intimate exchange. The backdrop, with its ever-changing list of flights and destinations, serves as a subtle but effective reminder of the transient nature of the characters’ experiences. We’re all just passing through.
For those who enjoy theatre that combines humor with a thoughtful exploration of life’s challenges, I Love to Fly is one of the bee’s favourites. It’s a shining example of what fringe theatre can achieve—taking risks, breaking boundaries, and offering audiences an experience that’s both entertaining and deeply resonant. Through its clever use of satire and parody, the play explores the human condition with a light touch, reminding us that even in the face of life’s absurdities and disappointments, there’s always room for laughter. It’s a striking reflection on how our dreams and passions can be eroded by the grind of daily life and yet, somehow, leaves the audience in a better mood than they came with. The bee is reminded of why it loves fringe theatre.
Five stars!
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