Review: Flughafen, wonderfully original new South African play by Alice Viskat

In Flughafen, written and directed by Alice Viskat four people are stranded in airport. Their plane has been delayed – for over twenty hours. They are essentially cut off from communicating with the outside world. The conceptual arc is clever and provides a brilliant frame for Viskat to unpack an array of issues in a psychological thriller which makes for a theatre trip which I will not forget.

This review contains spoilers in terms of “issues”, so skip this paragraph if you do not want to know more before you see it. The play begins as an airport drama. A flight has been delayed. A bunch of people are sitting on plastic chairs, waiting. Plot spoiler: There is an alarming and sinister reveal which my plus one and I had no idea was coming. Viskat smartly and deftly unpacks conversations around vulnerable women being manipulated by abusive men – physically and emotionally. She grapples poignantly with mental health, the ties that bind us to family, lovers and acquaintances. There are three strong female characters – with their stories and baggage – and two men who are creepy and manipulative. You may think that you know people, but who are the monsters in our midst. Amnesia may provide a temporary balm. Okay, I will stop there. Suffice to say, this play excavates a lot – the way women present themselves for others, for affirmation, women as pleasers and enablers and the pressure of holding it all together in this unfair world.

The actors deliver impressive performances: Melissa Pretorius, Lee van der Merwe, Josh ‘Yoshe’ Riley, Mihir Soni and Laura Kelly. Josh ‘Yoshe’ Riley as the airport customs official, boarding officer is brilliant as the gatekeeper in this story. I won’t reveal too much about his character but suffice to say this performance is worthy of a theatre award. Riley’s comic timing and intensely calibrated use of gesture is a wow. Kudo to Viskat in her direction as she tempers his character with delicious layers  – even when he is not speaking as he fiddles with stuff on his desk- manicure grooming set, bonsai tree and stationery.  I have to say this is one of the most vivid characters that I have seen in a long time.

Airports are emblematic of so much- going and returning, fear of what awaits, joy at being reunited with others. Many of us can reacted to the anxiety of travelling. As an anxious traveller, I shake when I hear an announcement- “you have reached your final destination”. I get into a state when handing over personal documentation – ID, passport et al. I wait to get the go ahead to proceed. What happens if a document has expired and I didn’t realise this?   I tremble when there are delays. I am sitting with a bunch of strangers and we are all trying to make chit-chat.

I am wary of using the word “original” but I do use this in relation to Flughafen. This play is fresh and original and is definitely going to be a play I will not forget. I see many good psychological thriller plays but they often tend to meld into each other, united by a sameness. Flughafen is unforgettable and I hope that this is the beginning of the journey of this intriguing play.

I must add that I saw Flughafen, on opening night in Cape Town at The Outlore, last week. I wrote about the play, in haste as it was a short run and I wanted to get something out to alert people to go and see the play. In writing, I raised my concerns that I found it 15 minutes too long. I felt a good edit was required. I also said that I felt some of the performances could be toned down. People who read what I wrote, felt that I not convey how much I enjoyed the play, that I loved the play. So, I am revisiting what I wrote in this review.

Flughafen is an exceptional achievement by Viskat, who graduated from Cape Town’s Waterfront Theatre School in 2020. She has not only written the play but is in the director’s and producer’s seat and has put together the design and props. Since the opening, she has already trimmed the text and she says she is working on paring it down further. Most new plays take time to brew and shape and I applaud Viskat as a young theatre maker for flying with the fascinating play. I look forward to seeing Flughafen on another run. Flughafen is an audacious, witty, entertaining play; a psychologically thriller which had me laughing and holding on to my seat.

✳ Featured image – supplied. Josh ‘Yoshe’ Riley as Janick.