'Conjoining elements of screwball comedy and thrilling, psychological twists, Flughafen is a new theatrical experience .. at turns claustrophobic and liberating, whimsical and tense.' Alice Viskat (writer & director)
Airports are spaces of waiting and uncertainty, and Flughafen uses that unease as its foundation.
Three passengers are stranded in a storm-bound departure lounge, and familiar routines begin to distort as scenarios replay and twist, leaving both the characters and audience questioning what is real. The play explores themes of control, perception, and human vulnerability, with occasional flashes of dark humour offering brief relief from the tension.
The concept is clever and ambitious, but the execution doesn’t always match the idea. At around seventy minutes, some scenes overstay their welcome with repetition of converations and performances sometimes tipping into exaggeration, which lessens the suspense of the story. Despite this, the shifting interactions and inventive use of the confined airport space create moments of intrigue, and there are flashes of genuine tension that keep viewers engaged.
It’s an uneven theatrical experience, yet the originality of the premise and the willingness to experiment with narrative and character make it a witty, unsettling journey.
It proves even a departure lounge can take you places - even if it doesn’t fully take flight.
Show Times:
31 July to 24 August 2025 at 4.45pm.
Tickets: £ (Pay what you can)
Freddy's Edinburgh, 24 Frederick Street
Suitability: 18+