I FIRST saw ‘Come From Away’ during lockdown as a live TV screening where it brightened a very bleak day.

Seeing it live at the Birmingham Hippodrome last night, I think many people may have done the same thing as a roar from the audience exploded as soon as the house lights went down.

Irene Sankoff and David Hein have truly written a musical phenomenon with this show.

It made the ‘feel good’ hairs on the back of your neck rise when the the Company launch into  ‘Welcome To The Rock’ – the applause for which went on as if it was a finale, not on an overture.

What follows is one hour and 20 minutes of wonderful, warm passionate and compassionate theatre performed by an amazing cast and band.

The story concerns how the tiny town of Gander in Newfoundland (population 10,000) – where anything

of note rarely happens – opened their hearts and homes to 6,500 strangers.

This was when 38 planes got diverted to their tiny airstrip during the 9/11 terror attack.

Housing them and feeding them made for logistical and emotional challenges  – which proved in a world of such hatred and self interest,  that the goodness of human kind can still prevail.

Religious, cultural and gender differences are cast aside and for five days the world according to Gander is full of diversity and love.

I am not going to single out cast members as there is not a cigarette paper between their talents. Likewise the musicians who give us everything from Bluegrass to Hip Hop.

Christopher Ashley directs with genius as does Musical MD Andrew Corcoran.

No ifs, buts or maybes from me just an absolute five stars all round. I’ll probably end up seeing this show more times than I have Les Mis – and why not?!

*****

Review by Euan Rose

Euan Rose Reviews