Camden Fringe 2024: I Love to Fly at Little Angel Theatre

Capturing the transient nature and endless possibilities of modern life, airports inherently evoke a flair for the dramatic. From tearful farewells and characters racing through security checks and long lines to prevent their love interest from leaving, to joyful reunions and declarations of love in front of the departure gate, the airport often serves as the backdrop for climactic moments in cinema. These clichés resonate because time seems to stand still in the crowded terminals, suspended between the anticipation of departure and the relief of arrival. This timeless quality heightens the emotional weight of farewells and reunions, making each moment feel simultaneously fleeting and eternal. 

Written by Anton Chesnokov, who directs alongside Alexandra Simonet, the whimsically titled I Love to Fly features an ensemble cast and explores the lives of passengers at Gate 17, where their journey seamlessly becomes part of the destination

From the emotional parting of an overbearing Italian-American mother, who buys a ticket just to see her 16-year-old son, Giuseppe, off at the gate, to the chance meeting between a toothpaste entrepreneur in a failing marriage and a pilot intent on crashing the flight he is about to board, the production brings together personal crises and existential dread in a confined space – a powerful setting for exploring fear. Amidst these intense moments, the show also features hilarious comedic interludes and witty musical numbers that offer a refreshing contrast, blending humour with the drama to create a uniquely engaging experience.

The narrative unfolds as colourful characters, who come and go much like passengers in an airport, frequently remind the audience through song that the show is a play, not a musical. Riveting stories emerge, including two newlyweds arguing before their honeymoon, and the bitter split of a rock band made up of two brothers, Jack and John, who dress, act and argue as if they were Gallagher brothers from the Deep South. 

Throughout the play, the characters’ paths cross in unforeseen ways. The inhabitants of Gate 17 are caught between destinations, and the usual rules of everyday life seem to fade away; with every encounter taking on a surreal quality. From Giuseppe, who questions his mother about the accident that left a scar on his forehead and intensified her overprotective behaviour, to the newly-married Meg, who chooses to spend her honeymoon in Sharm El Sheikh with Jack instead of her husband, the liminal space – suspended between what has been and what is yet to come – imbues each interaction with a sense of hopeful possibility amidst the comedy.

Christina Yang
Photo: Joanna Krupka

I Love to Fly is at Little Angel Theatre from 9^th until 17^th August 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the hilarious audience reaction teaser for I Love to Fly at Little Angel Theatre here: