By Michael Veitch. The Q. 28 Apr 2015
When I think of Michael Veitch, my mind automatically harks back to his days on TV’s satirical ‘Fast Forward’: a show I would watch religiously and then gleefully go and re-enact each skit to my family and friends. Flak is a foray into more serious territory for Veitch, drawing no comparison with Fast Forward except perhaps for the shadow of his trademark humour peppered in amongst his otherwise sober monologues.
Based on two books authored by Veitch, Flak is a one-man show in which he retells the real life anecdotes of a handful of men who served as pilots during World War Two. Portraying each man in character, complete with accents, mannerisms and attire, he shares their tales of survival in extremely unforgiving circumstances.
A self-professed military aircraft enthusiast, Veitch drifts in and out of these men’s worlds; stopping every now and again to provide context to their experiences and to give quite an educational presentation on the very best and absolute worst of war-time aircrafts.
While the show starts out quite sedately, it becomes more engaging with each passing minute. It’s actually not unlike sitting at the foot of your grandfather’s armchair and listening to his war stories for the first time – seeing a completely different side unfold in a person you thought you had pegged.
However, despite their fleeting moments of triumph or defeat, Flak is never grandiose about war and the men’s humanity remains front and centre. What’s most interesting about them is not only how they view the war in reflection, but also the compassion they felt for their fellow humans back when they were in the firing line.
Always the master impersonator, Veitch does a marvellous job of portraying these everyday heroes and reviving their stories for a new and seemingly appreciative audience. His goal is to simply ensure that they are remembered, and I believe in this respect he does each one of them real justice.
While Flak will certainly appeal to those who have a zest for air force history, you don’t need to be particularly interested in the topic to enjoy it – it has a rather broad appeal. The show is also neither pro nor anti-war; indeed, it’s a rather neutral perspective from the every man’s point of view. If you want to learn more about the war without all the hype, Michael Veitch’s Flak is a good place to start.
Deborah Hawke
When: 28 Apr to 2 May
Where: The Q Theatre
Bookings: theq.net.au
