Flight Risk

Abstract

'Flight Risk' is a radio play exploring the thoughts and fears of Elizabeth, a woman seeking asylum in Ireland, adrift and asleep on a flight bound for Dublin. Elizabeth seeks protection in the Ireland celebrated for its 'one hundred thousand welcomes'. But this bounty of welcomes is limited by immigration law. Elizabeth dreams that the pilot speaks to her directly over the tannoy, quizzing her about travel documents and tormenting her with his predictions of a swift deportation. This dramatic scenario is intercut with documentary material to describe the experience of those seeking protection in Ireland. Ellie Kisyombe drew on her personal experiences to play the role of Elizabeth. The text includes her improvisations in the role. Her words merge with testimonies at protest rallies and from RTÉ Radio 1's phone-in programme, 'Liveline', presented by Joe Duffy. Felix Dzamara from Zimbabwe describes what people in his home country are running from - the violence of that country's Central Intelligence Organisation. Others describe the dehumanising conditions of the Irish Direct Provision system, where people are accommodated as they await the outcome of their asylum applications. Direct Provision was established in 2000. Since then, thousands of people have lived in this system, in some cases for periods in excess of five years, without the right to work, without the means to cook for themselves, and on a small weekly allowance. The play was produced by RTÉ Drama On One, and broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on 29 January 2017. This coincided with President Trump's first travel ban, by chance echoing the concerns of a multitude of people taking their own 'flight risk'. 'Flight Risk' was a Gold Radio Winner in the Entertainment Best Drama Special category at the New York Festival Radio Awards in 2017.