Factory International

Darkfield

FLIGHT

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A surreal airplane cabin filled with identical men wearing headphones.
Date
10 - 21 Sep 2025
Venue
The Undercroft, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ
Tickets
Standard: £15
Affordable:
Concessions £12
Aviva £10 Tickets
A booking fee of £1.50 applies to all tickets.

Shows run every half an hour from 1pm to 6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays and from 1pm to 9pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

We have free essential companion tickets available for wheelchair users and disabled visitors. We do not require proof to book an essential companion ticket with your access ticket.

Essential companion tickets are free with a wheelchair, disabled, BSL, captioned or audio description ticket at any price point, including £10 and concession price tickets. Essential companion tickets are intended for people for whom it would be significantly difficult to access our venue without support from another person.

To book access tickets please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org or book online. For more instructions, please visit How To Book Access Tickets.

We’re putting art in the heart of Manchester, within reach of everyone; and have affordable ticket options including £10 tickets on most shows for those who need them.

For information about Aviva £10 Tickets and concessions visit our Affordable Ticketing FAQs page.

Book tickets

14+ Only
Running time: 23 minutes

Accessibility features available for this event: Wheelchair Access

Experience the critically acclaimed experience from Darkfield that takes you on a journey where any outcome is possible

Ladies and gentlemen, we’d like to direct your attention to the on-board safety demonstration and ask that you give us your full attention. In the unlikely event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure alternative scenarios will be provided. Additional desserts will be provided. An extra pillow. Trumpets and gongs. We’re not responsible for your final destination.

Aviva Studios hosts FLIGHT – one of DARKFIELD’s most popular and critically acclaimed experiences. Taking place in absolute darkness inside a 40ft shipping container resembling an economy airplane cabin, FLIGHT explores the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, which proposes every possible outcome is happening at the same time in countless parallel worlds. With this as its starting point, FLIGHT takes audience members through two worlds, two realities and two possible outcomes to their journey.

FLIGHT premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018 and has since received rave reviews from both immersive and traditional theatre critics. DARKFIELD create cutting-edge 360-degree audio experiences that blend technology and theatre.

Using detailed sets, complete darkness, binaural sound and sensory effects – all inside shipping containers – they place each person at the heart of a powerful, immersive story.

FLIGHT is part of a exciting citywide DARKFIELD collaboration across three venues featuring three critically acclaimed immersive experiences: ARCADE at Lowry, FLIGHT at Aviva Studios, and SÉANCE at HOME Manchester. The tour has been made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England.

WARNING: FLIGHT takes place in complete darkness. If you are claustrophobic, scared of the dark or of flying, this show may not suit you. The show contains some floor movements.

  • ‘…Absolutely unsettling. The sound and production design are both excellent – in addition to the authentic interior, boarding passes and Kafkaesque safety cards are distributed, all of which enhance the creeping unease.’

    The Scotsman

  • 'A truly singular & provocative piece of art; one you may well walk out of shaken but will ultimately feel enriched by the experience’

    Cinema Fringes

  • ‘Outstanding…an all-consuming experience that takes you away from the busy streets of Edinburgh and into a different reality’

    The Wee Review Edinburgh

Watch the trailer

Tickets

We have a range of affordable tickets, including options from £10 for those who may need them. You can find out more about our Affordable Ticketing Policy here.

For ticketing and box office related enquiries, please contact tickets@factoryinternational.org or call 0333 322 8679 (phone lines are open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm).

For more information please visit Ticketing and Sale of Goods Terms & Conditions – Factory International

Credits

FLIGHT was created with support from Arts Council England, Latitude Festival, Dartington Live & Realscape Productions.

Artistic Directors David Rosenberg and Glen Neath

Senior Creative Producer and Creative Director Victoria Eyton

Executive Producer Andrea Salazar

Head of Operations Sara Codrington

ORIGINAL UK PRODUCTION MANAGER: Cecily Rabey

ORIGINAL SET REALISATION: George Tomlinson

ORIGINAL LIGHTING DESIGNER: Sarah Readman

ORIGINAL TECHNICAL & AUTOMATION DESIGNER : Ian Dixon-Wilkinson
PERFORMERS: Nigel Barrett & Lanna Joffrey

EXTRAS: Walles Hammond, Matilda Bailey / Taragh Bissett / Tim Blazdel / Adam Burton / Melissa Chambers / Yeonsoo Cho / Kirsty Clark / Jamie Dorward / Nic Frank / Gabrielle Gillott / Pezhvok Joshgani / Laura Korycka / Siobhan Massey / Calum Mercer / Alex Neumayer / Helen Paszyn / Kathryn Pearson / Juan Salazar / Charlie Vickers-Willis / Davis Vilcans / Emily Walters / Emma Wood / Lisa Worthington / Aidan Yorath / Beth Yorath

Access information

Our full address is Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ and the what3words is chop.feeds.chase.

You can approach Aviva Studios along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield). Both entrances to the building have double sets of glass doors.

Once inside Aviva Studios, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. The flooring throughout the building is smooth concrete.

The entrance to the Warehouse is by lift or stairs from the Social. Two lifts and a staircase to the Warehouse are located in the Social opposite the bar.

The entrance to the Law Family Hall is by lift, escalator or stairs from one side of the Social beside the brick arches. There is only one escalator, and this will take you up to the Law Family Hall before the show, and will be reversed so that you can travel down at the end of the performance.

The Social has a range of seating, including those with arms and backs.

The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points.

Our building is large. We have portable stools available to borrow if you would benefit from resting along the way during your visit.

We have wheelchair spaces and seats at standing events for all events.

There are accessible toilets on all public levels of our building.

Accessible toilets are located inside the main toilets space in the brick arches of the Social.

Here you’ll find a mixture of accessible cubicles with left- or right-hand transfer, towards the back of the space, as well as ambulant accessible cubicles with grab rails, as well as a Changing Places facility.

The toilets in the brick arches of the Social are split into male, female and gender neutral – all of which contain accessible cubicles. There are shared handwashing facilities in each arch – they have soap dispensers under the mirrors to your left and dryers to the right. There are separate handwashing facilities inside the accessible cubicles.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in both Hall Foyers, at stalls and circle level.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in the Warehouse Foyer.

You do not need a key to use the accessible toilets at Aviva Studios.

Assistance dogs are welcome in our building, and we can provide mats and water bowls on request, just ask a host when you arrive. We can also take care of your assistance dog if you do not want to take your dog into the performance space. Please also refer to our assistance dogs policy.

If you are bringing an assistance dog to a ticketed event, please let us know in advance by contacting access@factoryinternational.org or calling our access phone number: 0161 817 4531 (phone lines are open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday).

To book access tickets and essential companion tickets please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org, or book online.

Access bookings can be made by email, phone or online. They are also available in person at Aviva Studios.

FLIGHT takes place in a white shipping container positioned in the Undercroft, just outside of Avivs Studios. You will enter using either an outside step that is 26cm high and an inside step that is 13.5cm high or two ramps that are approximately 71cm wide. There is step-free access to all other areas of the venue.

There is a wheelchair accessible space on the first seat row when you enter. Please book a wheelchair accessible ticket to reserve this space. Wheelchair users are welcome to transfer to one of the house seats. Our staff can meet them early to allow enough time for this.

FLIGHT is primarily an audio experience and unfortunately is not currently fully accessible to Deaf patrons. The creative company, Darkfield, is currently unable to incorporate captions and BSL interpretation into the experience, as a lack of light and visual elements is a key signature of their work.

Darkfield may, however, be able to provide adjustments for patrons with partial hearing, so please do get in touch if you’d like to discuss this further. You can either email us at access@factoryinternational.org or phone on 0161 817 4531 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm).

FLIGHT is suitable for those aged 14+

Due to the dark, confined space within the container, as well as the immersive nature of the experience, this production may not be suitable for those who are claustrophobic, scared of the dark, who have a heart condition, or who experience PTSD or hallucinations.

Because this production makes use of total blackout, once the experience begins patrons will also not be able to freely leave the space, though you will be able to remove your headphones at any time.

Themes include a plane crash and death.

Due to the production’s subject, darkness, and loud sounds, FLIGHT might make some patrons feel anxious. You can find out more about the experience ahead of time by taking a look at our What to Expect Guide, linked below.

Click the link to download the FLIGHT Access Pack produced by Darkfield.

FLIGHT Access Pack – Darkfield

FLIGHT is primarily an auditory experience, however, to support our visually impaired and partially sighted visitors to get the most of the experience we will be delivering a touch tour of the event space ahead of the 5pm showing on Thursday 18 September. To book onto this tour, please select the relevant performance slot at check-out and add the visually impaired access tag to your booking – our Ticketing team can support you to do this if needed. We will confirm exact details of where to meet the team and when nearer to the date.

We may also be able to facilitate touch tours on alternative dates/times if given sufficient notice, so please do reach out to discuss this with us if the date above doesn’t work for you. You can email us at access@factoryinternational.org or give us a call on 0161 817 4531 (Monday to Saturday, 10am-5pm).

Travel information

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

There are a number of rail and tram stations within the city centre which are just a short distance from Aviva Studios. The closest stations are:

By Bike

There are 40 bike parking spaces at Aviva Studios including space for two accessible bikes.

National Cycling Route 6 passes close to the venue and this TfGM webpage can help with route planning.

You can also hire bikes from on-street docking stations across the city centre. The closest docking stations to our venue are currently on Deansgate by Liverpool Road and (400m from the building) and by King Street (500m from the building). Take a look at Transport for Greater Manchester’s webpage for advice on cycle hire.

By Walking and Other Active Means

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street via Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

If you're coming from Quay Street, the safest route to avoid construction works is via the cut-through opposite Gartside Street and past Booking.com.

All footways in the surrounding area are well lit and there are appropriate crossings across all main roads.

Pedestrians with visual impairment are recommended to approach the building via Water Street, from Liverpool Road. This route has traditional carriageway and footway design with fixed street furniture which should help with navigation to the entrance.

A footbridge at Left Bank in Spinningfields provides an accessible link across the River Irwell to Salford Central station, and a further footbridge also links Aviva Studios with the Salford area of Middlewood Locks.

Free bus

The free bus 1 service connects Piccadilly Station, Oxford Road and Deansgate rail stations, as well as other areas of the city centre to Aviva Studios.

The service stops on both Liverpool Road and Quay Street, close to the venue. Buses operate every 10 minutes during the day from Monday to Sunday and they are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus 1 route and timetable, please visit the Bee Network website.

Bee Network services

Piccadilly Gardens is situated in the heart of Manchester and there are a number of bus services that will take you on to Aviva Studios. The 33 bus which starts at Shudehill, calls at Piccadilly Gardens and will take you straight to Liverpool Road. Services operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and every hour on Sunday.

Alternatively, you can board either a 35, 36 or 38 bus to Bridge Street bus stop which is a seven-minute walk via Left Bank and Water Street to the venue.

Coming into Manchester Victoria rail station? Head on over to Shudehill Interchange (which is a seven-minute walk via Hanover Street) where you can catch the 33 bus to Liverpool Road.

Alternatively, you can board either an 8, 67 or 100 bus from Manchester Victoria to Bridge Street bus stop, which is a seven-minute walk via Left Bank and Water Street to the venue.

There is a car park approximately 0.2 miles (350m) from Aviva Studios at Water Street Car Park, New Elm Rd, Manchester, M3 4JH.

There is also a NCP car park (Manchester Spinningfields) approximately 0.25 miles (400m) away from Aviva Studios at Spinningfields, New Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3BE. It has 35 accessible bays.

There are a small number of Blue Badge spaces along Water St and Quay St. Otherwise head towards Liverpool Road, Great John St and Lower Byrom St – close to our neighbours, the Science and Industry Museum where there are a small number of additional Blue Badge spaces.

For a list of other parking bays available in the area, visit Manchester City Council website.

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