It can’t be easy to write a joyous and uplifting yet thought provoking play about 9/11, and yet Irene Sankoff and David Hein have done just that. This award- winning Canadian musical has already enjoyed hugely successful runs in Toronto, California and Seattle and on Broadway as well as six other productions around the world. It has hit the ground running in London with an audience reaction that can only be described as ecstatic.
Based on a true story, Come from Away is about five days in 2001 when 38 planes were diverted to Newfoundland following the World Trade Centre bombing. Passengers were kept on the planes for over twenty-four hours, not told the truth of why they had landed. In the meantime, the 10,000 residents of Gander prepared to welcome these strangers into their homes, community centres, schools and anywhere they could fit them. Many passengers could not speak English, had different dietary requirements and health needs. Most were worried about friends who may have been flying that day or were desperate to let their families know they were okay. The residents wouldn’t accept any payment but just kept donating whatever was needed in terms of groceries, help or simply friendship.
In 2011, Sankoff and Hein spent a month in Gander collecting stories of residents, flight crew and passengers, many of whom had gathered there to commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Although some characters are combinations of various people, many are based on the actual person with their real names used. Amongst the passengers, we hear the stories of gay couple Kevin and Kevin who were worried what locals would think of them (they were unfazed, everyone knew someone gay), British oil executive Nick who falls in love with American Diane, New Yorker Hannah who is waiting for news of her firefighter son, and Ali, the world-famous hotel chef who just wants to help out in the kitchen.
The locals have their own fascinating stories: Bonnie who works in the animal shelter is concerned for the cats, dogs and two rare chimpanzees stuck in the holds. Beulah befriends Hannah as she also has a firefighting son. Claude, the mayor of Gander, is in charge of finding accommodation for the Come from Aways, as outsiders are known. The crew are represented by pilot Beverly who fears for her fellow pilots. Her story of her career as a female pilot raised a cheer from the audience on the night I saw the show.
All is not smooth sailing for the Muslim guests however, who are treated with suspicion despite being just as baffled and afraid as all the other passengers. Ali is subjected to a full body search when they re-board the planes. It is admirable that the writers do not shy away from the less than welcoming behaviour of some officials and residents. African American Bob, however, who has his own initial suspicion of the friendly residents, is amazed that he isn’t shot when he is told to go collect everyone’s barbecue grills from their front yards. He bonds with another local mayor who invites him to stay in his house and ends up sharing all of his whiskey.
There is a nice variety of stories told, although it would have been good to hear more from passengers from other countries. In any case, it is a story that warms the heart as this disparate group of people pulls together in a moment of crisis and ends up forming lasting friendships. The creation of the musical has in turn brought everyone together repeatedly as they have seen themselves portrayed on stage in the many incarnations of Come from Away.
The cast work as a true ensemble, having to change character, costume and accent frequently, from American to Newfoundland (which sounds a bit Irish), to British or Egyptian. Jonathan Andrew Hume was especially adept at transforming from one of the Kevins to Ali by just adding a hat and brought real depth to these two characters. Robert Hands as Nick, and Helen Hobson as Diane, beautifully played out a burgeoning love story between two middle aged people who were surprised to find their soul mate in such tragic circumstances. Hands also doubled as air traffic controller Doug whose wife Bonnie, the fine Mary Doherty, risks a bomb threat to rescue animals from the parked planes. Rachel Tucker as Beverly, Jenna Boyd as Beulah and Cat Simmons as Hannah all gave strong performances as strong women who have to deal with impossible situations.
The songs all have an authentic Newfoundland sound, with a flavour of Irish and Scottish folk music. The music is multi-layered and rich and the songs soar with emotion. The excellent onstage band included a fiddle, an accordion, whistles and an unusual hand drum, which the percussionist played with glee. Director Christopher Ashley and choreographer Kelly Devine also deserve mention for the smooth staging and clear delineation of all the many characters portrayed by this talented cast.
This is definitely a musical for the whole family, despite the difficult subject matter of 9/11. It is heart-warming, funny, sad and inspiring all at once. Come from Away will surely encourage mass tourism if not mass migration to Newfoundland.
Image: Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre. Photo credit Matthew Murphy.