Up in the air

French Playwright Marc Camoletti’s bedroom farce “Boeing Boeing” has enjoyed the status of the most produced French-language play – apologies to Moliere – for more than half a century now. That’s thanks in part to the English translation that brought the 1960 play to audiences worldwide. The 2008 Broadway revival even won Tony Awards for best revival and best leading actor for veteran British star Mark Rylance. Of course, we cannot deny the fact that in this day and age of “anyone can fly” and the images of female flight attendants in attractive outfits gracing ads, the main character’s simultaneous relationship with three flight attendants from three airlines remains a fantasy for many of us.

Given New Theatre Society’s reputation for translation and adaptation as well as the prolificity of its artistic director Damkerng Thitapiyasak, the Thai adaptation, “Fly with Me, Free Breakfast” (“Rak Thoe Thao Fa, Bin Ma Ha Na Thoe”), now running at Thong Lor Art Space, was highly anticipated, if not long overdue.

Theatregoers won’t be disappointed: despite a slow build-up in the first act, “Fly with Me” hits the right comedic notes in the second act. But the slow pace nonetheless had audience members at last Tuesday’s performance discussing the loopholes in the plot during the intermission. Of course, the farce’s plot is totally improbable but with gags and speedy dialogue, there is usually no time to think, only laugh. 

Loyal fans of New Theatre Society and Damkerng’s works expecting a wilder adaptation might be surprised that Damkerng and his actors have chosen to follow the original more closely than is their wont. A major change is the transformation of the old housekeeper Berthe into a young university student housekeeper Byrd, so endearingly performed by Witwisit Hiranyawongkul that audiences can only wonder if he can actually cook for his boss to earn his living and pay his tuition fees. 

Phol Tantasathien shows much smooth talking and charm as the chief womaniser Bodin, but he’s not totally convincing as a playboy to be envied by the male members of the audience. As his long-lost high school friend Rabil, who’s moving into Bodin’s condominium and busy seducing one fiancee while being seduced by another, veteran thespian Suphasawatt Puranaveja suffers from the same setback. 

In the end, all three actors are overshadowed by the three veteran actresses, their energy and their vivid characters. Pariya Wongrabeab, the most outstanding of the three, portrays Chiang Mai-born Nok Air stewardess Kloyjai. Farida Jiraphan delights with her oddly funny Malay accent as Kadiyah, and Parnrut Kritchanchai entertains as their China Airlines counterpart Kan Xiu Fei, despite the tag on her handbag being written “Air China”. 

Another change which might cause many audience members to further doubt the plausibility of the situation is setting it in this era where 4G smartphones make it much easier to track down the whereabouts of a lover. And while the audience sees Bodin noting down his womens’ flight schedules in his smartphone, we can’t help wonder why an App wouldn’t alert him if flights are diverted, cancelled or arrive before schedule. In the meantime, we hear the house phone ring often yet there are no calls to anyone’s smartphone. 

But again, if the pace were quicker, we wouldn’t have time to think of these details.

 

KEEP ON FLYING

“Fly with Me, Free Breakfast” is performed at 7.30 nightly except Wednesdays until June 18 at Thong Lor Art Space. It’s in Thai with English surtitles. 

Tickets are Bt590 (Bt490 for students). Call (095) 924 4555 or check Facebook.com/|ThongLorArtSpace.