Musical review: Come From Away, National Theatre

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, 38 planes were diverted to land at Gander International Airport in Newfoundland. This brought 7000 strangers from around to the world to the town of Gander and surrounds. Come From Away tells the story of how the residents and their visitors coped with these extraordinary circumstances. 

CLOC Musical Theatre delivers a high-quality production of this wildly popular musical. Come From Away is both a story and character-driven musical. There are some catchy and memorable musical numbers, such as ‘Welcome to the Rock’, ‘On the Edge’ and ‘Something’s Missing’, but it is the likeable characters and their tales that will remain with the audience after they leave the theatre. 

The Celtic-inspired score gives a unique feel to the show and the orchestra is excellent. The set design consists of a local bar with wooden poles on the side and wooden planks backing the stage, which, combined with the music, creates a convincing impression of small-town Canada.

Scene changes are simply done by moving the furniture around and with the cast changing costume. This works well and Rob Robson’s direction keeps the action moving seamlessly, negotiating the challenge of handling the many moving parts with ease.

Come From Away is told through an ensemble, with the cast all playing multiple characters. Unlike most musicals, there are no starring roles, and it requires everyone to come together as a whole to make the show work. This fits nicely into the story they are telling, as it is about a community and not about individuals.

The cast are delightful to watch; they distinguish all the characters even if they only have a line or two in a scene. There are a lot of funny moments with the cast creating a feel-good vibe throughout the show. 

This musical focuses on the good of humanity in the face of unimaginable tragedy. The enduring message is of a community coming together to help those who have ‘come from away’. A new global connection is forged because they have lived through the same shared experience.

There is, however, one underlying problem: the production can be a bit too sweet. It addresses the aftermath of 9/11 mainly through the character of Hannah, who is trying to discover the fate of her missing son, while also exploring some of the prejudices towards people of Middle Eastern background. The prevailing upbeat mood of the show means that these moments are not as impactful as they may have been. It is easy to brush them off and go back to focusing on the romantic subplots that are more in line with the emotional tone of the production. 

Come From Away is a different musical to many contemporary shows. It is primarily story-driven and the music serves as an accompaniment to the characters, rather than it being about showstopping musical numbers. There is a wonderful message about the good of humanity and the power of community.

Read: Musical review: Grease the Musical, Her Majesty’s Theatre Adelaide

CLOC Musical Theatre’s has done a great job of bringing this production to life and Come From Away is a must-see for musical fans.

Come From Away
National Theatre
Book, Music and Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Director: Rob Robson
Musical Director: Malcolm Huddle
Choreographer: Tailem Tynan
Costume Designer: Samantha Gore
Lighting Designer: Brad Alcock
Sound Designer: Marcello Lo Ricco
Wig and Make-up Designer: David Clausen-Wisken
Cast: Natasha Bassett, Elyse Batson, Ric Birkett, Owen Clarke, Shaun Kingma, Jacqui McCallum, Rosa McCarthy, Hayley Nissen, Jayson Paul, Richard Perdriau, Shane Pritchard, Vikaye Sithole

Tickets: $42-$68

Come From Away will be performed until 26 October 2024.