Phoenix Theatre
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38 planes were diverted to Gander airport when American Airspace was closed after the 9/11 attacks, almost doubling the population in one night. The "plane people" or "come from aways" , as they were called by the people of Newfoundland, were shown such hospitality. They were given food, shelter and clothing. They were allowed to use phones for free, running up a massive phone bill. The ice-hockey stadium was even used as a giant fridge in order to provide for them all.
Within the main theme of the musical, we also get a more detailed look into some of the characters and their individual journeys; a gay couple whose relationship is tested when they are stranded in Gander; a woman whose son is a firefighter in New York; two passengers (an Englishman and a woman from Texas) who fall in love after they meet in one of the shelters. What makes this musical even more remarkable is that the characters are real people. There's Claude Elliott, the mayor of Gander, and Oswald Fudge - a police officer. Other characters such as the news reporter are vehicles with which to show the stories of multiple people.
The musical has a small cast of only 12 actors and they each play multiple characters. I thought that this would be very confusing, but it was actually very easy to follow. Not only did the actors put on a jacket or a hat to show their transitions, but they also switched accents and personas immediately. From the Irish twang of the Newfoundlanders to a southern drawl, or from one half of a flamboyant gay couple to an Egyptian chef who was feared by most people due to his being Muslim. These switches happened so quickly and were an extraordinary show in talent. In fact the whole cast were just oozing talent by the bucket load. Clive Carter as Claude gave a very energetic performance and his transition to an old man revealing his Jewish identity for the first time was heart-breaking. Cat Simmons as Hannah gave a very moving performance that brought me to tears, and Rachel Tucker was incredibly powerful as Beverley, one of the pilots who had been diverted. A hilarious performance was given by Nathanael Campbell, playing a paranoid traveller who is completely taken aback by the hospitality and kindness of the Newfoundlanders, making me almost cry with laughter.
The music is exciting and original, featuring a fiddle, and accordion, Irish flutes and Uilleann pipes, as well as many other instruments I'm sure you won't have heard of before! For a show that has come over from Broadway, one might expect massive belting numbers accompanied by numerous dancers, all high-kicking and doing fancy dance moves. But that is not what this is at all. Most of the numbers are focused on the ensemble as a whole, and the "dancing" would be better described as "movement". It consisted mainly of getting on and off chairs, stamping feet, and quick head rotations. It was such a riveting performance and expertly created.
There was no sign of a glitzy set either. All the different locations were conveyed solely through moving chairs. They were masterfully manipulated into creating a claustrophobic plane, a lively bar, and the Dover Fault.
There was no sign of a glitzy set either. All the different locations were conveyed solely through moving chairs. They were masterfully manipulated into creating a claustrophobic plane, a lively bar, and the Dover Fault.
The only word I can use to describe this musical is perfection. The whole audience appeared to be with me on that as well as we all jumped tour feet immediately as the lights came down. A beautiful mix of comedy and heartbreak, creating a moving and compelling musical. You have to see Come From Away, I could not find a single fault in it if I tried, and I will be listening to the soundtrack now forever more!