Flight Paths

Experience it now: http://flightpaths.extant.org.uk/

Flight Paths, our epic multimedia production inspired by the Goze – blind female performers of medieval Japan – is brought to life on screen for the first time in a new digital retelling, co-commissioned by The Space.

Combining animation, aerial movement and creative audio description, Flight Paths is an interactive online experience featuring stories of travel, blindness and migration.

Flight Paths was awarded the P.K. Walker Innovation in Craft Award from Superfest Disability Film Festival 2021.

Main Trailer (Audio Described):

Teaser Trailer (Audio Described):

Reviews & Selected Press:

“★★★★ Flight Paths is like nothing I’ve ever seen… the piece shows how easy it is to cater both for a visually impaired audience and performer without it even necessarily being obvious you are doing so.” – A Younger Theatre

“★★★★ Unlike anything else I have experienced before… Flight Paths is an absorbing and educational experience that really captures the attention and imagination from start to finish.” – Love London Love Culture

“This is an enthralling piece of work, mixing live performance and music with archive photographs and projections. It is entirely accessible to those with visual impairment, using both captions and audio description throughout.” – LouReviews

“Extant has put together a piece that sets out to inform and entertain.” – 2nd from the Bottom

“Stories are brilliantly melded together… This is an exhilarating update of the Goze story and timely.” – Japan Society

“A show that is layered in many ways and uses aerial performance, projections and audio description to create interweaving narratives and a different kind of storytelling” – Lyn Gardner, Stagedoor

Featured on The Guardian’s Lockdown Culture

Interview with Artistic Director Maria Oshodi on the Goze – BBC Radio 4, In Touch

Audience Reviews

“Put your headphones on and sit back and enjoy this amazing described experience. I feel like I’m in a different world. An animated blind musician (Goze) guides you through a landscape, meeting different characters some past, some present.” – Audience Member

“The online Flight Paths experience is wonderful. I really enjoyed the insight into the lives of the Goze. I enjoyed the interactive experience which gives the sense of taking control of the path you want to take. Great stuff Extant!” – Audience Member

“Loved this”  – Jo Paul

“This is really lovely” – Vicky Island

“Very stimulating” – Sue Rolfe

“Wow this is wonderful! (Of course, I knew it would be. It was nice to have the interviews with the cast and producers too.)” – David Hughes

“The way it pulls together so much history and lived experience (via so many different media!) is beautiful.” – Grace Joseph

“Brilliant! I’ve really enjoyed this new way of storytelling! When I was listening through headphones the performance was so real – I heard the sound of someone breathing on the left hand side, it just took me back right there!” – Nao Nagai

“I loved it for the sheer scope of the storytelling and the different elements that you have blended so seamlessly… as I travelled through the story and it began to unfurl, I saw the historical story of the Goze and the contemporary relevance. I also loved it from a staging point of view, the lighting, sound, projection, and recording… Absolutely bloody fantastic.” – Pamela Roberts

“I am absolutely loving the digital version of Flight Paths.” – Jodie Stus

“I think Flight Paths works beautifully and has many different layers to it and works really well as an interactive re-working of the show. The animation is wonderful and stylish and fits in seamlessly with all the other elements. You’ve done a brilliant job in tying everything together. I’m very impressed!” – Ludi

“It was amazing!” – Eight-year-old audience member

“Listened to Flight Paths and enjoyed it lots. Loved having the opportunity to take choices, rather like a virtual game, and I found the soundscape mesmerising” – Kirin Saeed

“Really enjoyed Flight Paths. It made me want to try the aerial silks! Great work… Fantastic!” – Odette Battarel

“I enjoyed Flight Paths. It was a great story and digital production. I was bewitched by the fascinating aerial.” – Kingo Sawada

“I’ve gotten lost in this wonderful, seamless world you have created. What a joy! I will keep returning to it for a while yet.” – Sian Habell-Aili

Flight Paths (2020) team:

Artistic Director, Extant: Maria Oshodi
Producer & Editor: Nic Sandiland
Project Manager, Extant: Rhianne Rowson
Animator: Dave Packer
Web Consultant & Designer: Tim Jukes
Digital Distribution Associate, The Space: Holly Close
Marketing Assistant, Extant: Amelia Zhou
Illustrator: Inko Ai Takita
Translator: Tomoko Komura
Voice Performance: Aya Nakamura

Flight Paths (2019) cast and creatives:

Co-directors: Maria Oshodi & Kumiko Mendl
Writer: Glen Neath
Cast: Amelia Cavallo & Sarah Houbolt with Takashi Kikuchi & Victoria Oruwari and Meg Kubota as ‘The Voice’
Aerial & Movement: Vicki Amedume
Sound: Thor McIntyre-Burnie
Audio Technologist: Tarim
Designer: Becky Minto
Projections: Terry Braun
Lighting: Nao Nagai
Assistant Director: Julie Osman
Production Manager: Stacey Choudbury-Potter
Stage Manager: Beatrice Galloway
AV programmer: Libby Ward
Lighting Operator: Steve Lowe