This new ambitious play directed by Sheffield born Laura Keefe, written by Eve Leigh travels like its name sake at a breakneck speed, touching everything and everyone in its path. This exhilarating play is multi-faceted with observations addressing climate change, apocalyptic disaster, human nature, collective responsibility and survival. With a running time of 58 minutes, the audience hits more thought provoking turbulence than your average big budget disaster movie does in two and a bit hours!
Flight BA 509 sets off (surprisingly for BA, but not if Fate takes a hand!) a little early on its flight to Tokyo. As the audience take their seats in the newly named studio theatre, the Thrust stage designed by Zoe Hurwitz becomes a section of the plane with two rotating rows of airplane seating and the cockpit behind intermittently opaque and transparent glass. The intimacy of the venue heightens the immediacy and inclusive danger. The Lighting design by Amy Mae includes overhead and floor level tramline lighting that gave the stage a realistic ‘plane like’ feel. The cast enter the plane synonymously and immediately the audience are on the same journey. We discover the pilot’s new wife secretly sat in economy, a man who has always dreamed of going to Japan and the women he met in a bar who he asked to go with him, amongst others.
In a twist, the plane is hijacked by who or what we are not sure, do they intend to harm us or is there more to it? As the events unfold, we learn about each of the passengers on board, we learn about their hopes and dreams and how they handle the situation both outwardly and inwardly. As the passengers realise that the whole world beneath them is gripped by apocalyptic wildfire, the on board terror escalates and the audience is gripped by it ferocity. Is there hope?
Much is made of Direct Address and the play artistically explores the physicality of each character individually and collectively in the given situation. There are moments of collective dance/movement to popular culture songs that give an element of comedy to the events, beautifully juxtaposing the hard hitting reality. Carl Harrison as movement director really exploits these moments from the chaotic Rage against the Machine to the apt Wind Beneath my wings. It should be said that these are never twee, glib or inappropriate, they creatively highlight how humans behave in the face of catastrophe, often with an outward stiff British upper lip when internally they are screaming in pure panic.
The six performers are equally invested in this demanding play and ooze the energy needed to tell the story. With all playing the additional role of the hijacker, Siubhan Harrison is Rina the Flight Attendant, with Raj Bajaj, Phoebe Naughton, Robyn Sinclair and Mark Weinman as the passengers and Zoe West as the Pilot. The cast all successfully have the audience fully invested in their characters and the plays humour aids this.
Wildfire Road is a stirring premiere that makes you consider from the very first moment and long after you leave the theatre. It is familiar yet disturbing, it is darkly sinister yet full of light moments, it is thought provokingly complex – highbrow yet universal. I really do hope this play is seen by a much wider audience as it is one of the most engaging, eye opening and entertaining 58 minutes I have spent in a long time. Wildfire Road runs at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse Sheffield until Saturday 18th March 2023. https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/wildfire-road
Reviewer: Tracey Bell
Reviewed: 8th March 2023
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★