Winners of the 2025 Untapped Award, NONSTOP’s Pigs Fly Easy Ryan lands at Underbelly Cowgate with a chaotic, high-energy production that’s equal parts absurdist theatre and surreal cabaret. Created by Lou Doyle, Trevor White and Kendra A Miller, this show is a fever dream of flight, freedom and fetish, wrapped in a glossy, oil-slicked package.
The premise is as bizarre as it is bold: two pigs, decked out in exaggerated make-up and hyper-sexualised cabin crew uniforms, impersonate airline staff on a fictional budget carrier, EasyRyan. Their mission? To sneak their way to “Freedom,” a destination that seems more metaphorical than geographical. The show attempts to satirise capitalist excess and climate guilt, poking fun at frequent flyers and the indulgence of escapism. However, these themes quickly dissolve into incoherence as the narrative spirals into increasingly surreal territory.
The performers are undeniably committed, throwing themselves into every moment with physical intensity and a palpable sense of abandon. The staging is inventive, with layered backdrops peeled away to reveal scenes of air travel, each more chaotic than the last. Yet, despite the visual flair and kinetic energy, the piece struggles to maintain a clear throughline. The absurdism feels more like a nod to Beckett than a meaningful homage, lacking the philosophical depth or precision of the genre’s greats.
The climax, featuring near-naked cavorting on an inflatable slide, bodies slick with baby oil, feels gratuitous and disconnected from the rest of the show. It’s a moment that might provoke laughter or discomfort, but it doesn’t offer much in the way of resolution or insight.
Ultimately, this is a production that will divide opinion. It’s messy, provocative and occasionally moving, but it never quite takes off. NONSTOP have crafted a spectacle that’s as confusing as it is compelling, and while it may not soar, it certainly makes a memorable landing.
